India women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur came under severe criticism after she allegedly blamed 21-year-old Shreyanka Patil for the loss in the second T20I against Australia Women on January 7, 2024.
With this win, Australia leveled the 3-match series 1-1 with the final match to be played on January 9.
Australia captain Alyssa Healy asked India to bat first in DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. India somehow managed to post 130/8 in 20 overs with Smriti Mandhana (23), Richa Ghosh (23), and Deepti Sharma (30) being the major run-getters.
Kim Garth, Annabel Sutherland, and Georgia Wareham took two wickets apiece.
In reply, the Australian side, led by strong performances from their openers Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney, and a crucial partnership between Ellyse Perry and Tahlia McGrath, kept the pressure on the Indian bowlers.
Phoebe Litchfield also played a significant role, ensuring the chase finished on a smooth note. The match reached its climax in the penultimate over bowled by Shreyanka Patil, where Australia needed 15 runs from 12 balls.
However, Litchfield hit a four and then Ellyse Perry, in her 300th international match for Australia, hit the winning runs, sealing the game for Australia with six wickets in hand.
Speaking after the match, Harmanpreet remarked that if Shreyanka was on target in the 19th over, things would have been different.
"[While Bowling] we were getting those opportunities and taking wickets in the middle, that's a positive. If Shreyanka was on target in the 19th over, things would have been different but these close games help to identify areas to improve. We have played these games a lot of time but this time we have a few new faces, this young side is looking very positive and I'm sure they will keep improving,” Harmanpreet Kaur said in a post-match presentation.
However, former India cricketer Dodda Ganesh was not happy with the experienced Harmanpreet Kaur throwing the youngster Shreyanka under the bus and blaming the loss on her shoulders.
He posted: "Throwing a 19yo kid under the bus is not done”
But he wasn’t alone in criticizing India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, as several fans on social media also slammed the skipper for her statement blaming the young spinner.
Here are some reactions:
