India’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has confirmed that Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the team in their crucial Women’s T20 World Cup clash against Sri Lanka, despite a recent injury scare. Harmanpreet had retired hurt in the previous match against Pakistan due to neck discomfort while batting on 29, but Mandhana assured the media during a pre-match press conference that the skipper is fit and will be on the field for the must-win game. “She (Harman) is doing fine and she will be fine for tomorrow,” Mandhana said.
India’s victory over Pakistan by six wickets kept their semi-final hopes alive, but their path remains difficult after an earlier defeat to New Zealand. With a must-win scenario against Sri Lanka looming, India cannot afford any more slip-ups if they wish to advance to the knockout stages.
There is, however, some uncertainty regarding all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar, who missed the game against Pakistan. Mandhana explained that the medical team is still evaluating Vastrakar’s fitness, and a final decision will only be made closer to the match. “Pooja, I think the medical team is still working on her. So, the update will come only tomorrow during the match,” Mandhana added.
Mandhana also acknowledged the challenging conditions in the UAE, where slow and tricky pitches have made stroke play difficult throughout the tournament. Even Mandhana, one of India’s most reliable batters, has struggled to find her rhythm. “Of course, you know in the last match I couldn’t… like I started off fine but then later on I consumed a few dot balls which was a little irritating for me,” she admitted.
Despite the pressure of improving their net run rate, Mandhana emphasized that India’s primary focus is to win the game. “It (run rate) definitely was last match, but as I said, the conditions are a lot different to what you expect as a batter, so you are probably thinking to get that run rate high and also you firstly have to win the match first,” she explained.
The upcoming match against Sri Lanka carries significant weight, as the team recently stunned India in the final of the Asia Cup. Given that India still has to face Australia, every victory is crucial for their chances of reaching the semi-finals. Reflecting on the tournament so far, Mandhana pointed out that the difficult conditions have prevented any team from scoring beyond 140 runs, except New Zealand. “The conditions, I don’t see any except the New Zealand match, we haven’t seen any team go over 140 in the whole tournament, 135-140, be it a day game or a night game, says a lot about the conditions,” she said.
India must adapt to these conditions quickly and secure a win to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
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