Cricket News: India women ready to salvage pride in final T20

An improved batting performance will be foremost on skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s mind, when India women take on New Zealand in the third and final T20 International tomorrow. After winning the ODI series 2-1, Indian women lost momentum and subsequently the T20 series. With an aim to build a squad for ICC World T20 next year, the Indian team management decided to drop team’s senior batswoman Mithali Raj who is no longer considered a force to reckon with in the shortest format. Only time will tell whether this decision pays dividends in the long run but the results have been far from encouraging in the first two matches which India lost by 23 runs and four wickets respectively. The biggest problem has been the lack of fight from the middle-order save Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, who were the top-scorers in the first two games. Debutant Priya Punia’s lack of experience has been evident but probably what hurt the Women in Blue most is skipper Harmanpreet’s indifferent form. The Indian captain scored 17 and 5 in the first two outings. She has been rusty due to lack of batting time since the start of the ODI series which the visitor won comfortably. On the other hand, The White Ferns have responded in style since losing the ODI series with senior batswoman Suzie Bates scoring 57 in the final one dayer and a match-winning 62 in the second match.