India women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur said that the team forcefully played in conditions that were not 100% fit during the first T20I against England in Chester-Le-Street where the match was delayed because of rain earlier in the day.
England captain Amy Jones won the toss and asked India to bat first and it was a struggle for the visitors from the get-go. Deepti Sharma’s 29* was the highest score in India’s 132/7 in 20 overs with Smriti Mandhana making 23 and the skipper herself making 20.
For England, leg-break bowler Sarah Glenn picked 4/23, while Freya Davies and Bryony Smith took one wicket apiece.
While the outfield was sluggish and a bit slippery due to the wetness, the pitch was also not conducive to strokeplay. India also found it difficult to field during the chase, dropping catches and misjudging balls to let them escape to the boundary.
"I think in the end we were not able to get that many runs we were expecting. I just feel today we forcefully played because it was not 100% conditions for cricket to play. Still I am happy the way girls put the effort because when there are chances to get injured but they are ready to play.
That's what you need to have team-mates in the team [for] who can score in whatever conditions and I am happy the way we put our efforts,” Harmanpreet Kaur said after the match.
Unfortunately, India lost a key member of their side when in the second over of the chase, Radha Yadav dived to her left at a backward point, she seemed to have jammed her shoulder into the ground and walked out clutching it in pain.
"I know it was not 100% conditions to play cricket and still we were putting efforts. I know the ground was too wet and there were so many chances to get injured and one of our players got injured also. She was our main bowler and that's why we were lacking.
We were one bowler short and the way we were trying to put efforts (meant a lot). I am really happy girls were coming forward to give 100%," she added.
The second match will be played on Sept 13 at the County ground in Derby.
(PTI inputs)
