Not the start we wanted: Harmanpreet dejected after India's heavy loss to New Zealand

Women's T20 World Cup: Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was dejected after India's campaign in the ICC tournament started with a heavy 58-run loss against New Zealand in Dubai on Saturday.

In Short

• India suffer 58-run loss to New Zealand in Women's T20 World Cup
• Harmanpreet rues missed chances and fielding errors after heavy loss
• The 58-run defeat will severely impact India's net run rate in Group A

A dejected Harmanpreet Kaur admitted that India did not play their best cricket as New Zealand kicked off their Women's T20 World Cup campaign with a thumping 58-run win over her side in Dubai on Saturday. The Indian captain emphasized that despite creating chances, the team failed to capitalize on them, acknowledging that New Zealand played better cricket overall. Harmanpreet pointed out that fielding mistakes were evident and highlighted the need for improvement as a learning opportunity.

"We didn’t play our best cricket. Going forward, we know every game is important. We created chances but were not able to avail of them. They played better cricket than us, no doubt about that," Harmanpreet said in a post-match press conference.

New Zealand ended a 10-match losing streak, recording their largest win against India in T20 internationals. The ‘White Ferns’ showcased their dominance with a well-rounded performance led by their captain, Sophie Devine, whose explosive innings of 57 runs off just 36 balls propelled her team to a formidable total of 160 for 4.

On a challenging pitch that made batting difficult, Devine demonstrated her prowess with seven boundaries, effectively dismantling the Indian bowling attack. “We have chased many times 160-170, and we were expecting that on the board. While batting, we knew someone had to bat through, but we kept losing wickets.” Kaur recognized the importance of having a batter who could anchor the innings, as the team kept losing wickets at critical junctures. "We know this group is capable of better; this wasn't the start we were expecting, but we have to go from here," she concluded.

India's batting lineup faltered in the Powerplay, with crucial wickets falling early. The team lost three potential game-changers—Shafali Verma (2), Smriti Mandhana (12), and Harmanpreet Kaur (15)—within the first six overs, restricting them to just 43 runs. Kaur reflected on this, stating, “We know this group is capable of better; this wasn't the start we were expecting, but we have to go from here.”

New Zealand’s bowlers, particularly Eden Carson (2/34) and Rosemary Mair (4/19), effectively capitalized on the conditions, with Mair's swinging deliveries proving too much for the Indian batters. The Indian batting lineup struggled to clear the 30-yard circle, with the lack of power evident in their approach. Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh's attempts to score quickly fell short, contributing to a meager total of 102 all out in 19 overs.

Defending her decision to drop herself in the batting order, Devine’s strategy paid off as she found form at a critical time, leading her side to a competitive total. Despite the efforts of India’s bowlers, especially Deepti Sharma, the lack of support in the field highlighted a need for improvement. Kaur mentioned, “Fielding mistakes were made, so that is a learning for us going forward.”