India not good enough against top teams: Harmanpreet Kaur after T20 World Cup exit
Women's T20 World Cup, INDW vs AUSW: Harmanpreet Kaur admitted India need to raise their standards against the top teams and rethink their approach after their semifinal hopes ended with a defeat to Australia.
Harmanpreet Kaur admitted India were not good enough against the stronger teams at the Women’s T20 World Cup, a shortcoming that ultimately led to their early exit from the tournament. On Sunday, June 28, India crashed out after suffering a six-wicket defeat to Australia in their Group A clash at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.
India had begun their campaign on a positive note with victories over Pakistan and the Netherlands to climb to the top of the standings. However, their momentum faded soon after. They suffered a defeat to South Africa before bouncing back with a win over Bangladesh. But with a semifinal spot on the line, India failed to hold their nerve against Australia in a must-win encounter.
India vs Australia, Women's T20 World Cup: Updates | Scorecard
"If I look at the entire tournament, we didn't do well against the stronger teams. Against the best sides, you need to produce your best cricket, and I think we need to rethink our approach in those games,” Harmanpreet said in the post-match presentation ceremony.
‘NEED TO THINK LOT OF THINGS’
After opting to bat first, India posted 170 for 4, but Australia chased down the target with five balls to spare. Harmanpreet said Australia executed their bowling plans to perfection and felt India fell short of a competitive total despite preserving wickets for most of the innings.
“Australia are one of the best teams. They bowled according to their plans, and while we didn't lose many wickets, we also didn't get the score we were expecting,” Harmanpreet said.
“As a group, we need to rethink a lot of things, especially how we perform against the top teams. Too often, we've been in the game but conceded too many runs in the last few overs. And when we're chasing, we haven't been able to score those crucial runs with the bat. I think this has been happening for quite a long time,” Harmanpreet added.
Australia and South Africa advanced to the semifinals from Group A, while West Indies and England secured the two qualifying spots from Group B. India, who lifted the ODI World Cup title last year, will now have to wait for another opportunity to end their wait for a maiden Women's T20 World Cup crown.