Chasing a aim of 261 towards the White Ferns, the Girls In Blue may solely handle 198 after simply 50 runs had been scored from 20 overs right here on Thursday (March 10).
“Our hitter, especially the top and middle order, has to shoot because the other teams are going 250-260,” Raj mentioned on the postgame presentation ceremony. “We thought it was huntable, but provided we got the best order. But back-to-back wickets put a lot of pressure because we didn’t have a batter who could take it deep.
“There was some rebound and good attain from the field, but it surely wasn’t a tough strip to hit. Their tailors had been hitting the appropriate areas with the rebound, but it surely wasn’t unplayable and we may have carried out higher” , she added.
Raj expressed the same concern after the victory against Pakistan in the opening of the Indian campaign when the lower order compensated for the faltering higher order. The silver lining for India was once again the bowling effort according to the skipper as they were able to limit the hosts, who were sailing to a huge total at one point, at 260 for 9.
“Our bowlers did well today and earlier too. After the first wickets we had, the way they had a partnership, I thought they would get around 270-280. got slower in the second run,” Raj observed.
For local team skipper Sophie Devine, it was a “full efficiency”. “Actually all-around efficiency. We constructed partnerships all through, (Amy) Satterthwaite was distinctive, we laid the platform and we knew it was rating,” Devine said.
She was nothing but praise for the bowlers as they tightened the noose around India’s top order. “Our bowlers have been excellent, have not given them something. We have now totally different individuals elevating their fingers at totally different phases of the sport, that is what we wish within the World Cup.
“The girls were exceptional today, they had the pressure to make sure they stood their ground, (Frances) Mackay (off-spinner) was also exceptional. (Lea) Tahuhu in the middle was definitely a role we l saw them play last year in the UK.”
Devine mentioned she was spoiled for alternative with a number of bowling choices. “We now have so many options to play bowling, our spinners, so it’s a really good space. (This World Cup) is interesting, the first one was a bad cricket game but we took a lot of positives . We didn’t play our best that day.”
(With PTI inputs)
