15 March - Tauranga - India player Harmanpreet Kaur pre-match press conference
Reporter: Hi Herman. Congratulations on your performance so far in this tournament, it's been absolutely brilliant. Three out of your four ODI hundreds have come in the World Cup. So these big tournaments tend to inspire you more and we always see this big performances coming in the World Cup.
Harmanpreet: First of all, thank you so much. And yeah, you know, always big tournaments are very important and where your role is more important you need to take the more responsibility and perform for your team and maybe that is a reason. I always want to give my best for my team but you know, sometimes things don’t go your way but I make sure whenever we play the World Cup, I’m there for my team and maybe that is a reason.
Reporter: My question for you is how was it adapting to the situation and then getting 100 against WI - and work on strike rotation as well?
Harmanpreet: I think the greatest thing was you know before the World Cup we got five ODI series against New Zealand and one T20. Because of that, we got that momentum and you know, getting used to this condition and I think that is a reason which is helping us now to perform well.
Reporter: My question is just what have been the discussions since the West Indies match looking forward to England tomorrow? Have there been any specific issues that have been addressed - not a big turnaround time, so what are the discussions taking place and what are you looking forward to in terms of - what are the keys to doing well against England?
Harmanpreet: I think in batting you know, the great partnership it got and in the bowling also, the way we bowled in partnership and especially I think we fielded really well, I think those are the things which we want to continue in the England match and the upcoming matches - I think those are the areas which we would love to continue and apart from that you know, sometimes we are losing back to back wickets - if we can work on that, otherwise I think things are you know, the way we want we are getting them I think now is the time we just need to you know stay relaxed and enjoy the situation because you know sometimes if you're relaxed and you're enjoying you can perform better.
Reporter: I just wanted to ask about something that Smriti said the other day when asked about you. She said that when the back’s against the wall that's when it brings out the best in you - is that something you feel as well?
Harmanpreet: Yeah I think sometimes I just need to back myself and that's what I've been doing during this West Indies game and before that New Zealand game, I think that's what we need to do and you know, when I bat with Smriti and someone who's already settled, it's always easy for me to settle there and that's what I enjoyed the other day.
Reporter: New Zealand, often seem to be the conditions where spinners have struggled in the past but all the Indian spinners have done really well. Especially someone like Sneh Rana playing her first World Cup. The way she has bowled so far - your thoughts on that?
Harmanpreet: Yeah, I think she's been great so far and she has done really well in the ODI series also. And I think for us, it's very important. You know, whenever we are bowling we are looking for wickets and she is someone who is giving us those breakthroughs I think she is someone who is taking the responsibility and bowling for the team and that's what you know as a unit every game we are wanted someone who is - whoever is bowling they can take the responsibility and give us those wickets at a crucial time and I think so far she has done really well and we are really happy the way she is bowling and the way she's taken the responsibilities.
Reporter: Would you dwell on the role of the team's psychologist who is traveling with the team because in one of the PCs, you said that she helped you to come out of the shell. So before the last game, did you have a word with the psychologist or can you just speak about the role which Mudra is playing with the team and especially with you?
Harmanpreet: Yeah, I think she has done a great job so far. And not only me, other girls are also talking to her whenever we need to talk to her and you know, talking to someone who can listen to us and we can talk and you can share your thoughts and the best thing about her, whenever we talk to her, she always looks to find a way. And that's why I really, really like to talk to her. Whenever I'm talking to her, she's listening to me and at the end of the day, we are finding a way, like how can we come over those things. And that’s what is helping us and helping other girls too.
Reporter: England is coming into this game, after a lot of pressure having lost their three games, there is a considerable amount burden on them, being defending champions as well. And a bunch of Indian players happen to see this recent match that England just played against South Africa. Can you just take us through any problem areas of England that you guys are particularly focusing on any weaknesses that you've identified of the England squad?
Harmanpreet: I think for us, very important to - the way we performed in the last game, we just need to continue that other than just thinking about what their weakness is and what are their positive points. And right now, we are only looking about our strengths, and the areas where we are doing well and the areas where we need to improve as a team. And we are working on that and I'm sure you know, the small areas which we felt you know, we need to improve in the last game we will come out from all those things and the good things we have been doing so far and we just want to continue those things.
Reporter: I just want to ask how is the management handling Shafali- she has now missed two games. So what is the conversation with her?
Harmanpreet: See, she's someone who has done a really good job for the team and right now you know, I know she's not getting that game time but she is always very important for us - right now we just - matter of one game whenever she gets and she gets those runs for herself and then you know, things will be easy for her and everybody's talking to her whatever you know, the type of practices she's looking for we are able to give all the things what she needed and that's what as a player you need when you are going through a rough patch and you need your teammate to support you or your staff to support you and that's what we have been doing for her and I think whenever she gets the opportunity she will definitely bounce back.
Reporter: Harman one of the graphics that we have been seeing in this tournament is about catching efficiency and India has the highest catching efficiency in this tournament so far more than 84% Is that an area of the game that the team is consciously working towards to get better and better at Fielding all the time?
Harmanpreet: Yes, definitely. You know, whenever we discuss about fielding, we know that catches win matches and that’s what we want to do as a team. We know whenever catches are coming it’s an opportunity which we have to grab and I think credit goes to our fielding coach and all the players, they have been working so hard, whenever we are getting opportunities, we are working under lights, and under sun also so I think, I think it's all about you know, we have been doing practice for a long time. And now we are getting the results and I'm really happy. In this tournament, we are - because of our fielding, we are talking about, whatever opportunities we got. And we were able to grab those opportunities and I think that's what we were looking for as a team. Everybody talks about our batting skills, bowling skills, but now the fielding skills are also improved. And I'm really happy that you know these small, small things, we are working on and we are getting results.
Hi Harman, you lost final match to England in 2017 world cup, & also lost a series last year. So is there any motivation that you will be able to defeat England this time? Means is the team motivated well enough to defeat England this time?
Harman: See if we analyze all over, we started our World Cup campaign by defeating England. You know it’s not always that you should focus on our past performance. I know they played well, but right now it’s all about momentum. Momentum is on our side & for us, it’s our main goal to focus on good things. If we start focusing on past, that’s not good & we will be under more pressure. So we are focusing on only what we did well other than thinking on past results. And same way we are discussing in team meetings & we’ll focus on those things which are in our hand.