Harmanpreet Kaur lashes out at poor conditions in 1st England T20I

The Indian team suffered a harrowing nine-wicket defeat against hosts England in the opening game of the T20I series. Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur lamented the poor conditions at the venue after continuous rain, which saw one of her players injured herself while fielding on the wet outfield.

Harmanpreet’s side was put into bat first, and after a brisk start against the pacers, the batters struggled against the slower bowlers on a sticky pitch that offered variable bounce to the bowlers. English spinner Sarah Glenn utilized the conditions to the zenith and snared four Indian batters in her spell, reducing the Indians to a below-par score of 132 runs.

“I think in the end we were not able to get that many runs we were expecting. I just feel today we forcefully played because it was not 100% conditions for cricket to play. Still, I am happy with the way girls put the effort because when there are chances to get injured but they are ready to play. That’s what you need to have team-mates in the team [for] who can score in whatever conditions and I am happy the way we put our efforts,” Harmanpreet said after the match.

India’s defense of the total was off to an unceremonious start as they lost one of their leading bowlers, Radha Yadav, to an injury after she dived in an attempt to stop the ball in the damp outfield. Radha’s injury meant that the Indian skipper had to manage her overs. The skipper, along with Shafali Verma, compensated with an over a piece which cost the Indian team a combined 28 runs.

“I know it was not 100% conditions to play cricket and still we were putting efforts. I know the ground was too wet, and there were so many chances to get injured and one of our players got injured also. She was our main bowler and that’s why we were lacking. We were one bowler short and the way we were trying to put efforts [meant a lot]. I am really happy girls were coming forward to give 100%,” she added.