Colombo, May 11 (NationPress) Following a resounding 97-run victory against Sri Lanka, which secured the women’s ODI tri-series title, captain Harmanpreet Kaur expressed her immense pride in the team’s exceptional performance, highlighting their ability to play good cricket during the final match held on Sunday.

At the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium, India's triumph was significantly bolstered by vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, who scored an impressive 116 runs off 101 balls, leading the team to a formidable total of 342/7. Meanwhile, bowlers Sneh Rana and Amanjot Kaur excelled with figures of 4-38 and 3-54, respectively, as India restricted Sri Lanka to 245 runs in 48.2 overs.

"I am proud of the entire team; they truly played good cricket. I’m really pleased with our batting performance today. However, there's always room for improvement in aspects like fielding, bowling, and forming solid partnerships,”

stated Harmanpreet during the post-match presentation.

“The way other batters, aside from Smriti and myself, performed was a significant positive. Sneh Rana's bowling also stood out,”

she added.

India's ability to clinch the tri-series despite the absence of key bowlers due to injuries is promising as they prepare for the upcoming tour in England scheduled for June-July. “Our medium pacers are frequently getting injured, so we need to address that. The team is actively working on it. Nevertheless, we aim to continue playing good cricket. There are numerous positives to discuss, but right now, I want to savor this moment,”

Harmanpreet remarked.

Smriti, awarded Player of the Match for her 11th ODI century, noted that she adapted her strategy once Sri Lanka’s bowlers lost their precision. "I’m not one to speak much, but we generally plan our innings to assess the conditions first,”

she explained.

“Initially, they maintained their lines and displayed discipline, but later, we discovered ways to accumulate runs. All the pitches have been excellent for batting. Although they weren't ideal for bowlers, our bowlers still performed admirably.”

Sneh was named Player of the Tournament after taking 15 wickets in just four matches, marking her return to the 50-over format after several months. "I am thrilled to have made a contribution. After being away for so long, I trained hard, and I’m very grateful,”

she said.

“The strategy was straightforward – stick to pace-off deliveries and yorkers. I collaborated extensively with the bowling coach, and it paid off. (World Cup) I feel very confident, especially in my team, which has worked tirelessly and played excellently.”

Sri Lanka's captain, Chamari Athapaththu, reflected on the significant loss in the final, acknowledging the need to enhance their fielding, bowling, and seek more power-hitting batters ahead of this year’s ODI World Cup in India.

"First of all, congratulations to India; they played exceptionally well today. Chasing down 300-plus runs is challenging; we fought tenaciously but dropped some catches and missed runouts. Our bowling unit also faced difficulties during the middle overs, but Smriti batted remarkably well,”

she commented.

“We must improve our fielding, as we dropped catches and missed runout opportunities throughout the tournament. The Sri Lanka Cricket board is looking to hire new fielding coaches as well, so we need to focus on that. Additionally, we need to enhance our batting and find power hitters, but there’s work to be done before the World Cup.”