Women's T20 WC: Harmanpreet laments India's missed chances against SA
What's the story
India women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur has lamented her side's missed chances in the field after a six-wicket defeat to South Africa in the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup. The loss was India's first of the tournament and came despite a strong start, with Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma leading the charge. However, regular wickets prevented them from capitalizing on their good start.
Milestone match
Kaur's historic 200th T20I appearance
The match against South Africa was a historic one for Kaur as it marked her 200th T20I appearance. She became the first-ever cricketer, male or female, to reach this milestone. However, despite the personal achievement, the day ended on a disappointing note for Kaur and her team as they failed to defend their total of 158/7 in Manchester. Marizanne Kapp's 81* helped SA-W win the match with five balls to spare.
Missed opportunities
Fielding woes for India
India's fielding woes were evident in the match as they dropped three crucial catches that proved costly. Tazmin Brits was given a lifeline when she was on 18, while Marizanne Kapp was let off twice - first on 25 and then on 65. The South African duo made India pay for their mistakes with Kapp scoring an unbeaten 81 to guide her side to victory.
Statement
Kaur not happy with fielding effort
After the match, Kaur acknowledged India's missed chances and said they were not lucky enough at this level. "We got a couple of chances in between, but couldn't take those chances. We have two matches, and this is the time to stay positive. Shree Charani and Shafali bowled well but the fielders didn't support them," said the skipper. "We have to take opportunities at this level. We were not lucky enough with that."
Post-match thoughts
Kaur calls for improvement
Kaur further stated the defeat against the African team offered several lessons. "Lots of learning, lots of positive moments and lots of moments where I have to stay strong. Now is the time to stay positive and think what to do in the upcoming games. Hopefully, we come up better in the next games," she said. Meanwhile, India will next meet Bangladesh on June 25 before facing against Australia on June 28.