The low-scoring second T20I encounter was heading for a thrilling finish as Australia needed 15 runs from the last two overs. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur trusted Shreyanka Patil over Titas Sadhu to contain the Australian batters but she ended up conceding 17 runs from the over. Harmanpreet rued the missed opportunity as bowlers did well to keep the hosts in the game despite a below-par target of 131 set by the batters. Patil missed her length and was attacked by Ellyse Perry and Phoebe Litchfield as they finished the run chase in the 19th over.
“We were getting those opportunities, we were taking wickets and that's a positive. In the 19th over, if Shreyanka was on target, it would have made a huge difference for us,” Harmanpreet said in the post-match presentation.
“But yeah these are the things we need to do. We have seen these sorts of games a lot of time. But every time team members keep changing. This young group looks really positive and hopefully they will keep improving with experience.”
Harmanpreet did not hold back as she criticised the team’s batting effort after Alyssa Healy won the toss and asked the hosts to bat first. She also feels that the fielding was not up to the mark.
“I think score wasn't enough on the board but our bowlers did really well. We took it to the 19th over, that was the biggest positive. In the first game, we set the standard. In these games we have to put a good show with the fielding,” she said.
Harmanpreet could not do much damage with the bat as she managed to score just six runs from 12 balls in the middle overs before losing her wicket to Ashleigh Gardner.
“When we were in the middle, we thought 150 would be a good total but we kept losing wickets and a few overs were bowled really well. But yeah we have to think of what we have to do in the final game if we bat first,” she added.
Australia won the match by six wickets with an over to spare to level the series 1-1. The decider of the three-T20I series will be played on January 9.
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