CWG 2022: "We make the same mistakes again and again" - Harmanpreet Kaur after India's heartbreaking loss in gold medal match
Indian women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur was disappointed with her team's defeat against Australia in the gold medal match of the 2022 Commonwealth Games at Edgbaston.
Chasing 162 runs to win, the Women in Blue at one stage needed just 44 runs off 34 balls and had eight wickets in hand. However, they suffered a horrible batting collapse once again in a knockout game and fell nine runs short of the target.
Kaur was notably part of the Indian team that lost the final of the 2017 Women's World Cup and the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup. On both occasions, the team suffered collapses from desirable positions.
Consequently, she was understandably unhappy with the manner of their defeat against the Aussies. Here's what she had to say after the game about this repeat occurrence, especially in the finals of tournaments:
"Every time in big finals, we make the same mistakes again and again [with the bat]. That is something we have to improve. We don't do these mistakes in the league phase or in bilateral. That is blocking our mind somewhere."
The Indian skipper continued:
"I am someone who is always looking for one more batter in the side. Unfortunately, we're working on that. Once we get that, this thing [collapsing] will go away."
Well played, Harmanpreet Kaur, a knock to remember when India was down & out - 65 runs from 43 balls. https://t.co/f18E3pKPeh
Harmanpreet Kaur walked out to bat when India were in a precarious situation at 22/2. Her 65-run knock and 96-run stand with Jemimah Rodrigues off just 77 balls kept her team in the game. She reflected on the knock, saying:
"After losing two crucial wickets, the way Jemi and I batted was much needed at that time. You need to hold your nerves. We were nearly there. Maybe if Pooja [Vastrakar] or I were around, we could've won the game."
Kaur added:
"But that is part of the game; sometimes some things you can't control. It is great learning for us."
Close game. Competed well. Silver it is. You will always make us proud…irrespective of the colour of the medal. Well played, Harmanpreet Kaur and co. 👏👏
Harmanpreet Kaur on India's fielding in the CWG 2022 final
Ever since Harmanpreet Kaur became the full-time captain of the Indian women's white-ball team, she has been vocal about improving their fielding standards. The 33-year-old was delighted with the way her team fielded in the final.
Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav was at the forefront of this fantastic fielding performance, contributing with a smart run-out and a fantastic catch at point. On this, Harmanpreet Kaur stated:
"If you want to beat this Australian team, you have to field well. If you give them easy runs, they can easily take the game away. We discussed it in the team meeting and Radha set the example for us."
Kaur noted that they should have closed down the game in the end, but was also proud of the way the girls competed and said:
"The effort we put up today is something we wanted to do. I know the last 2-3 overs [in the chase] were not in our favour but throughout the game, the way we played was outstanding to watch."
She concluded:
"We've been working on our fielding for a long time. I'm happy with the way we fielded today. That is something we wanted to do as a team."
Many might argue that this was another golden opportunity wasted by the Indian women's team. However, the silver medal at CWG 2022 could also prove to be a stepping stone in the team's development to challenge for titles in future tournaments.