Harmanpreet Kaur blames her own batsmen for Mumbai Indians' exit from WPL 2024
Published - 16 Mar 2024, 11:17 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:27 AM
Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur expressed disappointment over her team’s loss in the Eliminator of the Women’s Premier League 2024. Harmanpreet Kaur admitted that her wicket was the turning point of the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The Harmanpreet Kaur-led team suffered a narrow five-wicket loss at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Friday, March 15. The Mumbai-based franchise failed to reach the final of the ongoing tournament. Notably, Mumbai won the trophy in the inaugural edition.
Mumbai Indians successfully restricted Royal Challengers Bangalore to a chaseable total of 135 runs. Harmanpreet and Amelia Kerr forged a crucial partnership and guided Mumbai closer to the target, leaving them with only 20 runs required from the final three overs.
We Were Not Able To Get It – Harmanpreet Kaur
Following the match, Harmanpreet Kaur acknowledged the team’s inability to maintain composure in the crucial final overs, emphasizing their struggle to find the necessary boundary.
“In 12 balls we just needed one boundary and we were not able to get it. That is what this game always teaches you. It puts you under pressure and you have to keep learning from it. When we lost my wicket, after that our batters could not hold their nerve, that was the turning point,” Harmanpreet said after the match.
The Mumbai Indians were in control, needing 20 runs from the last three overs. Harmanpreet Kaur narrowly avoided dismissal on the first ball of the 18th over. However, Kaur fell victim to Shreyanka Patil, leaving Mumbai with 16 runs to chase in two overs.
Mumbai’s fortunes took a turn after Harmanpreet’s dismissal, as the remaining batters failed to capitalize on the required runs. The Mumbai team faced a challenging target of 12 runs in the final over. Asha Sobhana conceded just six runs to help RCB secure victory.
We Fought Really Hard – Harmanpreet Kaur
Harmanpreet stated that the team fought really hard despite the ups and downs in the ongoing season. Kaur conveyed their determination to prepare meticulously for the next season, aiming for a strong resurgence.
“We fought really hard. This season has been a little up and down for us. Last season as a team we did really well but this time our performance was little up and down. But we learned a lot this season and hopefully next season we prepare really well and come [back] hard,” Harmanpreet said.
After winning the toss in the Eliminator, RCB found themselves in a dire situation as they lost three wickets for 23 runs in the fourth over. The Bangalore team’s struggles persisted, particularly after the dismissal of Richa Ghosh, who scored 14 runs off 19 balls.
Ellyse Perry, who currently holds the Orange Cap, significantly boosted RCB’s total by forming partnerships with the lower-order batsmen to surpass the 120-run milestone. Perry scored 66 runs off 50 deliveries, while Georgia Wareham concluded the innings with a six.
The Smriti Mandhana-led team will take on the Delhi Capitals in the final match of the tournament at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Sunday, March 17.
