NEW DELHI: Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur didn’t hold back her frustration after her team suffered a surprising three-wicket loss to South Africa in the ICC Women’s World Cup on Thursday. She pointedly stated that the top order failed to step up when it mattered most.
“We didn’t take the responsibility as a top order,” Harmanpreet declared after the match. “We absolutely need to make some changes. We have to aim for higher totals. This is a long tournament, and there are many lessons to be learned. It’s crucial we maintain a positive mindset moving forward.”
India found themselves in deep trouble at 102 for six before a stunning rescue act by Richa Ghosh. Her breathtaking innings of 94 runs off just 77 balls, featuring 11 fours and five sixes, propelled the team to a respectable total of 251. However, it wasn’t enough to secure victory as South Africa’s Nadine de Klerk, with an unbeaten 84 off 54 deliveries, and skipper Laura Wolvaardt, who scored 70, masterfully guided their side to a memorable win, inflicting India’s first defeat of the campaign.
Reflecting on the match, Harmanpreet admitted, “It was a tough game. Both teams played exceptionally well. Despite our batting collapse, we still managed to post 250 on the board. In the end, Chloe Tryon and de Klerk batted brilliantly. They proved it was an excellent pitch and deserved their victory.”
The Indian captain, however, showered praise on her wicketkeeper-batter, whose heroic efforts ultimately went in vain. “Richa has been outstanding for us. We were incredibly pleased to witness her powerful hitting today. She clearly has the ability to achieve big totals — and we hope she continues this form.”
For South Africa, Nadine de Klerk was understandably overjoyed after earning the Player of the Match award. “I’m truly lost for words,” she exclaimed. “There’s no bigger stage than playing India on their home ground. We knew we had to take the game deep, and Chloe really helped take the pressure off me. This shows we are more than capable of beating the best teams.”
Wolvaardt echoed her teammate’s sentiments, applauding de Klerk’s fearless display of hitting. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like that in my career. It was a truly special innings,” she commented. “She’s been hitting the ball like that in the nets, and I’m so glad it paid off today in the match.”