NEWS
Follow UsThe Indian Women’s side had a rough outing in Australia just days ago, getting whitewashed 3-0 in the ODIs, but they brushed that aside to begin the three-match T20I series against the Windies in fine fashion, registering a 49-run win in the first T20I in Mumbai on December 15 (Sunday).
On the day, India were asked to bat first and they hammered the visitors, racking up their third-highest total in WT20Is ever (195/4).
However, while pleased with the performance, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana asserted that the team could easily have gotten 200. India, it is to be noted, were 155/2 at the end of the 16 overs.
“Even after winning we will go and review where we could have done better as a batting unit. 200-plus was on the cards after the start we got,” Mandhana said after the game.
India only used five bowlers in the game, and they did a fantastic job of defending the target in conditions skewed in favour of the batters.
Mandhana praised the bowlers, particularly for holding it together in dewy conditions. She also explained why the team did not use off-spinner Sajeevan Sajana's services.
“Credit to the bowlers with so much dew around,” Mandhana said.
“Today we had Sajana as our sixth bowler. But today all other five bowlers were on their mark and with Dottin in the middle, we couldn't bring on an offspinner in Sajana. But she has been bowling well in domestic cricket and in the nets too. So she is our sixth bowler.”
Meanwhile, West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews felt that her side leaked 15-20 runs extra with the ball in hand. She also was not pleased with her side’s fielding efforts; there were three costly drops in the first innings.
“We were a bit loose with the ball. We had certain lengths to bowl but didn't execute. We let ourselves down in the field,” Matthews said.
The second T20I will be played on December 17 (Tuesday) at the same venue.
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