‘We need to be on our toes, improve fielding, fitness’: Indian skipper Harmanpreet after series loss to Australia

Australia has bounced back hard in the white-ball leg of the tour following a big loss in one-off Test, securing the ODI series 3-0 and T20I series 2-1.

Mumbai: Following her side’s loss to Australia in the final T20I, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur admitted that her team was outplayed in white-ball cricket by Australia following two brilliant Test wins against England and Aussies last month and it was fitness and fielding they need to work on.

Half-centuries from openers Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney helped Australia beat India by seven wickets in the third and final T20I of the series at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday.

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“The last one month we played very good cricket. They played white-ball cricket better than us. Red-ball cricket we know we can take our time but in white-ball cricket, we need to be on our toes. As a team, we have learnt a lot. Fielding is something we were not upto the mark and after this break, we will work on our fitness and fielding and come back stronger. Whenever they (Youngsters) get the opportunity, they give their 100 per cent, the combination and unity plays a big role. We always give a fight to the opposition, we are not going to give them anything easily, that is something I am proud of about my team. A lot to learn from them (Australia) as well,” said Harmanpreet in a post-match presentation.

Australia has bounced back hard in the white-ball leg of the tour following a big loss in one-off Test, securing the ODI series 3-0 and T20I series 2-1. Coming to the match, India was put to bat first by Australia.

Aussie bowlers dominated once again with timely wickets, despite Shafali Varma (26 in 17 balls with six fours), Smriti Mandhana (29 in 28 balls, with two fours and a six) and Richa Ghosh (34 in 28 balls, with two fours and three sixes) getting good starts.

India could score only 147/6 in 20 overs. Annabel Sutherland (2/12) and Georgia Wareham (2/24) were the pick of the bowlers for Aussies. Ash Gardner and Megan Schutt got two wickets each.

During the run-chase, Australia had hard-hitting fifties from Alyssa Healy (55 in 38 balls with nine fours and a six) and Beth Mooney (52* in 45 balls with five fours) demolish the Indian bowling. India lost the match by seven wickets with eight balls to spare. Pooja Vastrakar got two wickets while Deepti Sharma got one. Sutherland walked away with the ‘Player of the Match’ award.