Women's T20 WC: Smriti Mandhana talks about Harmanpreet Kaur's injury
Indian women's cricket team captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, suffered a neck injury during the T20 World Cup 2024 match against Pakistan in Dubai. The incident occurred in the penultimate over of India's run-chase when Harmanpreet was forced to retire hurt. She had scored a crucial 29 runs off 24 balls before her unfortunate exit from the game due to the injury. India won the contest to open their account in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
Mandhana provides update on Kaur's injury
Post-match, Smriti Mandhana stepped in for the skipper at the presentation ceremony and provided an update on her condition. "Too soon to say anything. The medical team is looking at it," said Mandhana, indicating that further assessments were underway. The nature of Kaur's injury and its potential impact on her participation in future matches remains unclear at this point.
India's performance in the match
Despite Harmanpreet's injury, India managed to secure a victory against Pakistan. Mandhana acknowledged that while their run-chase could have been stronger, they were satisfied with the win. "We have been very disciplined, followed the plans. In the field, we were very good. A better start with the bat would have been good, but we will take that win," she stated post-match.
India's net run rate improves after victory
Following their win over Pakistan, India's net run rate improved to -1.217 from -2.900 after a 58-run loss to New Zealand. However, they still trail behind New Zealand's +2.900 and Australia's +1.908 in the tournament standings. The victory was largely due to Shafali Verma's 32 and Harmanpreet's valuable contribution before her injury-induced exit from the field.
India prepare for upcoming match against Sri Lanka
Looking ahead, Mandhana expressed caution about their next match against Sri Lanka on October 9. "They have been playing good cricket, but this game will give us the momentum," she said. The team's strategy and performance in this upcoming match could be significantly influenced by the skipper's injury status, which is yet to be officially confirmed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
