Mumbai Indians’ Harmanpreet Kaur, who dazzled with the bat in the opening match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), said that the reins of captaincy motivate her to give her best.
Harmanpreet played an innings of 65 runs in just 30 balls which included 14 fours on Saturday. He also shared an 89-run fourth-wicket partnership with Emilia Kerr (45 not out off 24 balls) as Mumbai bundled out Gujarat Giants for just 64 for 143 after being 207 for five. Scored a big win.
Harmanpreet said after the match that quick adjustment to the pitch was the key to her team’s victory. He said, “In any match, you do not go on the field thinking that it will be a one-sided match. You always come with the mindset that you cannot take the opposition lightly. What our bowlers did was commendable. I think we got off to a good start and when that happens, you can keep going.
He said, “During our bowling, almost all the balls were hitting the right places. When we were batting, we were able to figure out in which area to bowl. Our bowlers adapted to the conditions quickly, so it looked like a one-sided contest. The right-handed batsman said that the responsibility of captaincy encourages him to give his best.
“I have been captaining teams ever since I started playing cricket. It doesn’t put any extra pressure on me, but it makes me feel more connected to the match. It helps me to perform well.
Gujarat Giants’ vice-captain Sneh Rana said that her team was outplayed by Mumbai in every department but they have to maintain their confidence. He said, “The atmosphere here was very different and it was a big match for many players. We have a lot of domestic level players.
He said, “We made many mistakes in the field and it played a big role in today’s match. I think this is a lesson for all of us. Some players get into the atmosphere quickly, but some take their time.
He said, “We will talk about the mistakes made in this match. But we have given a clear message to all the players that they have to maintain their confidence at all times. The tournament has just started, we need to boost our spirits. We will come back stronger.
