Navi Mumbai, Oct 31 (NationPress) Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur expressed her admiration for her team, emphasizing the dedication and consistency that propelled them to the Women's World Cup final against South Africa, after overcoming the seven-time champions, Australia.

India showcased a remarkable batting performance spearheaded by local star Jemimah Rodrigues, who scored an unbeaten 127, leading the team to a historic chase in the tournament's annals and securing a spot in the final. Harmanpreet also contributed significantly with a score of 89, forming a vital partnership of 167 runs that facilitated India's successful pursuit of 339 runs with nine balls remaining.

“Regularly scoring over 300 runs in ODIs isn’t achieved overnight. It’s the outcome of dedicated hard work and intent. Sir (Amol Muzumdar) has been there tirelessly, encouraging us to enhance our game. For me, maintaining composure under pressure stems from experience; I’ve faced defeat multiple times and learned invaluable lessons. My family, particularly my father, always engages in discussions with me after a loss, helping me identify areas for improvement. These insights sharpen my focus when I return to the field,” Harmanpreet remarked.

“We preferred to bat first, but as usual, the toss didn’t favor us. My teammates joke that we never win tosses! Hence, they always anticipate challenging scenarios, and we prepare accordingly. Not everything will come easy, but hard work and preparation provide us an advantage,” she added during her interview with JioStar.

“This match held great significance. By the time I joined the crease, Jemmy was already around 30 runs. She encouraged me, ‘We must stay until the end, and if we do, we can secure the win.' We were calculated, particularly after losing Smriti early, who has been in exceptional form and is a crucial player for us, but we had faith in our abilities.

“Our focus was on maintaining a run-rate of six to seven runs per over, and that strategy bore fruit. Every batter who stepped onto the field shared the same mindset, not merely surviving but actively contributing to the scoreboard. That was the key to our success.”

This victory marked India's first win against Australia in the World Cup since their memorable Derby win in 2017, where Harmanpreet scored an impressive 171 not out in a semifinal, although they ultimately lost to England in the final at Lord's.

India's journey in the tournament has been a rollercoaster, starting with two victories but facing three consecutive losses against South Africa, Australia, and England, putting their hopes for a top-four finish in jeopardy.

Harmanpreet elaborated on how head coach Amol Mazumdar's motivation fueled their resurgence in the tournament.

“On that day, Sir exhibited a bit of aggression, in a constructive manner. Everyone received it positively because we understood that his words came from a place of genuine concern. We have complete trust in him, and his message resonated deeply. Following that, I engaged with all the players individually to gauge their sentiments.

“We were well aware of the expectations from Sir, which mirrored the aspirations of the entire nation—a strong comeback. Everyone embraced that feedback positively, evident in our gameplay,” Harmanpreet stated.

India is set to face their ultimate challenge against South Africa in the final at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday.