What Did Harmanpreet Say About India's Bowling After ODI Loss?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Bowling needs improvement for the Indian women's team.
- Sneh Rana emerged as a key bowler.
- Richa Ghosh's wicket was pivotal in the match.
- Sri Lankan team displayed strong batting.
- Positive mindset is essential for future matches.
Colombo, May 4 (NationPress) Following India's initial setback in the women’s ODI tri-series, where they faced a three-wicket loss against Sri Lanka, captain Harmanpreet Kaur emphasized that significant improvements are necessary in the bowling unit.
Previously, India successfully defended a total of 276 runs against South Africa, but at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday, they faltered while attempting to defend 275/9 against the Sri Lankan team. A further challenge arose when seam-bowling all-rounder Kashvee Gautam had to leave the field due to injury after just five overs, forcing opener Pratika Rawal to step in as the sixth bowler.
In this series, Sneh Rana emerged as India's leading bowler, claiming 3-45 on Sunday. Additionally, the team's inconsistent fielding and inability to capitalize on Richa Ghosh’s impressive 58 runs proved detrimental. “Sri Lanka played exceptionally well and didn't offer us many chances. Whenever they did, we failed to capitalize. Moreover, we were a bowler short due to Kashvee's absence,” Harmanpreet reflected post-match.
“We were confident that with Richa's form, we could easily surpass 280 runs, but her dismissal changed the game. We struggled to secure breakthroughs in the initial ten overs. While our batting remains strong, our bowling needs considerable attention,” she added.
Sri Lanka's captain, Chamari Athapaththu, who was one of the standout bowlers for her team, expressed her satisfaction with her performance and the contributions of Harshitha Samawickrama and Nilakshi de Silva, who both played pivotal roles with their half-centuries.
“We executed positive cricket both in our last match and today. I'm thrilled as a captain that our younger players showcased their skills. We’re prepared for any scenario and aim to score 250 runs if batting first,” she remarked.
“I haven't been in the best shape recently, so I moved down to the fourth position in the batting order and adapted my role. As a senior player, it's crucial to lead effectively. After 15 years in the game, I’m now bowling more often. My strategy is to keep it simple and focus on the stumps,” she concluded.