Veteran India batter Harmanpreet Kaur said her 124-run third-wicket partnership with Pratika Rawal laid the foundation for India’s recovery in the second ODI against Zimbabwe, before Deepti Sharma’s ‘magic’ ensured the hosts reached 328/6. Harmanpreet, who top-scored with 126 off 121 balls, laced with 15 boundaries, further said batting in the day after a long run of evening matches had made batting conditions tough, especially after India lost Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma inside three overs.
The former India captain shared a record 153-run stand for the fifth wicket with Deepti, who hit 106 not out off 86 balls, laced with 15 boundaries, and said she was happy to take a back seat and rotate the strike as the off-spin bowling all-rounder found the boundary with ease at the other end. Reflecting on her partnership with Pratika, who made 61 off 67 balls, Harmanpreet credited the Zimbabwe bowlers for their early discipline and said the two right-handed batters had worked out a clear plan to rebuild the innings.
After losing two wickets, Pratika and I had a very good partnership and then Deepti did the magic on the pitch,” Harmanpreet said to broadcasters at the innings break. Good to see that she was taking responsibility and good to watch her from the other end,” said Harmanpreet. Good thing is that I’m hitting the ball well,” she said.
“It wasn’t easy conditions. Nowadays we play a lot of night games. After a long time playing under the sun, difficult conditions to bat in. “When somebody just came in and is getting boundaries, your job is to take single and keep giving strike. “It wasn’t a true wicket. Initially was holding a bit. Idea was to keep batting and keep holding your shape. I just want to enjoy myself on the field. Key is to keep batting and keep enjoying myself. it was their sloppy fielding that hurt them the most, with several catches going down at crucial moments While the Zimbabwe bowlers were only moderately accurate with their lines. It would be interesting to see if they can make a match out of it in the second innings.
That gave us the result today.
