Harmanpreet Kaur: “We started really well but in the middle over, we didn’t bowl according to plan and lost the momentum. In batting, we were doing well but unfortunately weren’t able to get the run rate needed. Whenever Renuka is bowling, we are looking for wickets. She enjoys bowling. We were speaking about DLS also but wanted to go with the rhythm. In between when the rain came, we were 10-12 runs behind but we knew with Mandhana and Ghosh, we would cover that. Sometimes when you are behind, you have to take charge, which is where we lost Jemi and my wicket.”
Heather Knight: “We talk about batting as per conditions and Nat and I did that. Amy was fantastic and it’s good to see that our batting group showed character even after 29 for 3. Thakur at the front was outstanding, moving the ball both ways is tough. You want the boundaries but you have to take ones and twos and that manipulated the field for us. We haven’t really played against a big team recently and to play like this against this Indian team was fantastic. Ecclestone and Glenn varied pace brilliantly. [Fielding] Our ground fielding was the best we did in the competition. Need to take catches and can’t drop players like Mandhana.”
Nat Sciver-Brunt, Player of the Match: “It was tough. They were getting to seam around, and Renuka bowled brilliantly. It was important to take the attack to them. If I get any in the middle of the bat, it is a nice feeling. We looked a little bit different today. Didn’t get to a quick start. In the middle, it was important to not forget about the boundaries. Amy did well. Fielding in front of the bands was good. I got caught whistling along and clapping along. Brilliant to play in front of people who want to watch us.”
WI WMN vs IRE WMN Highlights today, Saturday 18-2-2023. 14th Match, Group 2, St George’s Park, Gqeberha, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023.
Harmanpreet says weather the reason behind the decision. Shikha Pandey comes in for Devika Vaidya.
Knight was also going to bowl first but is not fussed about it. England is unchanged. “Be sharp on the field, give a bit more support to the bowlers,” she says about their aim. “They [the openers] will have to assess the conditions quickly and go about with their work.”
Toss: IND WMN chose to field.
England Women team: Sophia Dunkley, Danni Wyatt, Alice Capsey, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight (capt), Amy Jones (wk), Katherine Sciver-Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn, Lauren Bell.
India Women team: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh.
Head to Head In T20I’s: 26
England Women Won: 19
India Women Won: 7
England Women T20I Rankings: 2nd
India Women T20I Rankings: 4th
Form guide
(last five completed T20I’s, most recent first)
England Women WWWWW
India Women WWLWNR
Match Timings: 1:00 PM GMT | 3:00 PM Local
Umpires – Claire Polosak, Kim Cotton
TV Umpire – Nimali Perera
Match Referee – Michell Pereira
Reserve Umpire – Jacqueline Williams
Match number – WT20I no. 1369
