Get Newsletter
Notification products, updates
October 10, 2024
Every time Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma find themselves together in a tense situation, it feels like déjà vu, especially when India’s World Cup hopes hang in the balance. This was particularly evident on Sunday, in front of nearly 16,000 fans, during the 16th over of India’s modest chase of 106 runs against Pakistan.
With Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh dismissed in quick succession, India needed 26 runs off 27 balls, raising concerns about another potential collapse like the one against New Zealand in their tournament opener. However, unlike their infamous breakdown in 2017, Harmanpreet and Deepti handled the pressure calmly. They formed a steady partnership, scoring 24 runs in 19 balls by taking advantage of gaps in the field. The duo kept busy, running for two runs on multiple occasions and even sneaking a third run once, all without resorting to risky shots. The only moment of danger came when Harmanpreet awkwardly tried to regain her crease, resulting in a neck sprain during a stumping attempt.
Pakistan missed an opportunity to put pressure on India, allowing them to focus on securing their first points in the competition instead of chasing a better net run rate (NRR) by finishing the match quickly. As a result of their six-wicket victory, achieved with seven balls to spare, India improved its NRR from -2.90 to -1.21. However, this cautious approach faced criticism, as it wasn’t enough for them to surpass Pakistan in the group standings halfway through the tournament.
In the post-match briefing, where Smriti Mandhana stepped in for Harmanpreet Kaur, she attributed the team’s struggles to the playing conditions. Mandhana and her opening partner, Shafali Verma, struggled to get off to a strong start, with both scoring just 7 runs—Mandhana off 16 balls and Verma at the same score by the end of the PowerPlay. India managed only 19 runs during the first six overs, including Rodrigues’ 5 runs off four balls. Consequently, India adopted a points-first strategy, determined not to find themselves in a position where they were forced to chase the game, as they had in their opening defeat.
Read More: Schutt stars as Australia demolish New Zealand
“Me and Shafali could not time the ball [in the PowerPlay] as well as we would have liked. So, we didn’t want to end up losing a lot of wickets. So, we were a little calculative.”
Wednesday’s Group A match features two struggling teams, India and Sri Lanka, both of which suffered heavy defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand in their opening games—results that many considered upsets given the winners’ form leading up to the tournament. In this highly competitive “group of death,” two losses can be devastating, making net run rate (NRR) a crucial topic for India, more so than for Sri Lanka. Despite this, both teams agree that securing a win is the ultimate goal for India.
“It definitely was [in the] last match,” said Mandhana on whether the NRR talks have governed the team conversations after the massive hammering in their opening round. “But as I said, the conditions are a lot different to what you expect as a batter. You are probably thinking to get that run-rate to climb but you also have to win the match first, and that was the first priority for us.
“It’s a balance between trying to find out what’s the best for the team. In the last match, I started off fine but then later on I consumed a few dot balls which was a little irritating for me. Having said that, as batters we have to be really smart. We can’t just go out there thinking that ‘oh, we are going to take on this bowling lineup’ and we are just going to cruise through because of course the conditions and the outfield is a lot different.
“So, yeah, I think we have to keep that net run rate in mind. But first is, of course, winning the match. And definitely then going on and thinking about the net run-rate. So, yeah, of course, the group is definitely quite tricky. We don’t want to go ahead thinking a lot about what will happen, but yeah, one day at a time. And if at all tomorrow we’re in a place where we [can] think about the net run-rate, of course, we’ll be trying to get it [to improve]. But winning is the priority.”
Chamari Athapaththu, too, is cognizant of India’s longing for points over ill-advised aggression because of the teams’ recent history. “Yeah, I know run-rate is important to India, but I don’t think they are trying too many things,” Athapaththu said on the eve of the game.
“I think they’ll just want to win the game and take the two points. That’s the most important thing [for India]. Because they have another game after this, so I feel they need [to push for] points rather than [improving] run-rate [right now]. I don’t think they will try too many things in the middle – they’ll just want to play their basic cricket and they want a win,” the 34-year-old added.
Check out: Bangladesh bowlers look to stall India in Delhi’s batting paradise
There’s a sense that Sri Lanka might be caught off guard on Wednesday. With India still looking for their first points on the table, securing a win against them should have been a priority for Sri Lanka to keep their semifinal hopes alive. They succeeded, but now India needs to capitalize on this opportunity to improve their standing, especially since they have already faced two of the three teams ranked higher in the standings. To narrow the gap in net run rate (NRR), India must capitalize against a Sri Lankan side that has little to lose, especially before their crucial matchup against title favorites in even more challenging conditions.
With no major upsets expected before the final round, the race has narrowed to three teams: Australia, India, and New Zealand. As India practiced intensely at the ICC Academy on Tuesday, New Zealand suffered a 60-run defeat to the defending champions in Sharjah, causing their NRR to plummet from +2.9 to -0.05 overnight. However, this setback hasn’t erased their early advantage. New Zealand still has the opportunity to control their fate, as they will play their remaining two matches after India’s games. Even if India doesn’t openly discuss it, NRR is now a crucial factor.
Fortunately, India has demonstrated their ability to adapt quickly, evident in their recent changes to the batting order, including a shift at the No. 3 spot within just two games, as noted by their vice-captain ahead of this important clash.
“Definitely, I think, the wicket condition and the ground conditions are a lot different to what we thought when we [first] came here. “It just depends on the match situation, who we are playing, and how the wicket is playing. And what score we are chasing as well – that also is a big consideration,” Mandhana said, almost hinting that the batting order following the openers isn’t exactly set in stone. “So, I wouldn’t say that it was all planned… I’m sure we’ll keep all that in consideration and decide on the batting order.”
If you’re into IPL and T20 cricket, don’t miss out on the opportunity to earn through T20 betting!