“We could have got 30-40 more runs” - Harmanpreet Kaur reveals the reason behind the defeat to Australia

Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has revealed that her team was 30-40 runs short in the first innings against the Australian Women in the 13th match of the ongoing ICC Women’s ODI World Cup at ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, October 12.

Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Harmanpreet asserted that while the wicket was good for batting, their lower-order batters failed to capitalize on scoring and finishing off on a good note.

“Today the way we started we could have got 30-40 more runs, we kept losing wickets in the last 6-7 overs, it was a good batting wicket and we didn't capitalise. They have been really outstanding for us from the last few games,” Harmanpreet Kaur said in the post-match presentation.

While Pratika Rawal (75) and Smriti Mandhana (80) gave India an exceptional start with a 155-run opening stand, India managed to post only 330 runs in 48.5 overs, getting bundled out. Interestingly, India lost their last six wickets for 36 runs.

“They (opening batters) have been giving us a very good start and because of that we are able to post such totals. We did well but I think the last 5 overs cost us. The last three games we were not able to bat in the middle overs, the lower order took the responsibility and they did the job for us,” she added.

“But today I think the first 40 overs were really good and the last 10 overs we were not executing that well. So I think in a game these things are going to happen. You are not going to be 100% all the time but it's very important how you come back,” she noted.

Australia Women, in response, finished off the chase in 49 overs with three wickets in hand. Captain and opening batter Alyssa Healy was the wrecker-in-chief with a 142-run knock off 107 balls. Shree Charani was the pick of the bowlers for India, scalping three wickets for 41 runs in 10 overs.

“The next two games are very important and I think there are a lot of positives from this game. She (Charani) has been outstanding. She's always there whenever the team needs her. And today also she bowled really well. To all their batters, even when Healy was batting, she was not giving her anything easily. So we have a lot of hope from her. Whenever she's there she can keep giving us breakthroughs,” she stated.

“We'll sit and discuss (about the team combination). Because this combination has given us a lot of success in the past. I think two bad games are not going to make a big difference for us, going forward a lot of things we need to work it out. Hopefully we'll come up with the best approach,” Harmanpreet concluded.

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