Mumbai, Feb 21 (IANS) Former Mumbai batting stalwart Amol Muzumdr has expressed concerns over how India women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur is getting out during the Women’s T20 World Cup.
With India set to play Australia in the semifinals of the T20 World Cup Muzumdar has expressed his concerns with the hope that the India captain can solve these issues before the crucial clash.
Harmanpreet missed India’s first match in the T20 World Cup and has scores of 33 off 42 against the West Indies, four off six balls in the 11-run defeat to England and on Monday she scored 13 runs off 20 deliveries as India scored 155/6 against Ireland. The Women in Blue eventually won the match by five runs via DLS Method as the match ended prematurely because of rain.
Harmanpreet was out, caught at deep midwicket as she got across and heaved a full ball from Delany and was caught by a diving Orla Prendergast.
Participating in a discussion on Star Sports, Muzumdar said Haranpreet should have taken more time to settle down and then play such shots. With Smriti Mandhana, who scored 87 off 56 balls, going hammer and tongs at the Irish bowlers, the India captain could have bid her time before going for the runs, Muzumdar felt.
“I believe Harmanpreet Kaur should take a little time. She needs to improve her shot selection, she has the experience. It doesn’t mean that she will perform as experience and performance are two different things. Along with experience, you also get responsibility on your shoulders,” he said.
The former Mumbai player highlighted how the Indian skipper has lost her wicket while trying to play big shots in their last three games, elaborating:
“She played a wrong shot against the West Indies. She lost her patience against England. I wanted to see how Harmanpreet plays against Sophie Ecclestone and today also she got out in a similar fashion. She got out at the wrong time,” said the cricketer-turned-commentator.
Muzumdar feels that Harmanpreet, the most experienced woman T20I player in the world, needs to figure out a couple of areas she can target with her big shots.
“She is trying to hit in the air too much. Harmanpreet needs to keep two shots in her mind with which she can release the pressure, where she can get the boundaries and sixes,” said Muzumdar.
Former India women’s team captain Mithali Raj also has raised concerns over the Indian team’s batting in the T20 World Cup.
Though the team has reached the semifinals, it needs to work on this aspect as they face the formidable Australia in the last-four stage.
–IANS
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