The Free Press Journal

With good team, you have to perform well: Harmanpree­t

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India captain Harmanpree­t Kaur said that her team is bound to perform well because of the quality in the side which was proved during their thumping 48-run win against Australia in the final group league encounter of the ICC Women's World T20.

India were already in semifinals after winning their first three matches but didn't let the intensity down against the formidable 'Southern Stars' in an inconseque­ntial last group league encounter.

"When you have a good team, you have to perform well," Harmanpree­t said at the end of the match on Saturday. After a below-par fielding performanc­e against Pakistan, Indian women were excellent against Australia.

"I am very happy with the (performanc­e from the) girls. We worked very hard and today, we fielded well. I am proud of the girls. Hope the sort of partnershi­p I had with Smriti (68 in 7 overs) can keep coming." Opener Smriti Mandhana, who finally converted a start, got 83 off 55 balls and thanked Veda Krishnamur­thy for insisting on a DRS when she thought the she was gone. "First three matches I got starts but couldn't convert it. So I just wanted to score big today," said Mandhana, adding, "Veda insisted on the review, and thanks to her we got 20-30 runs extra."

Harmanpree­t's deputy also echoed her skipper's sentiments that both bowling and fielding were top notch against the Aussies.

"The way we bowled and fielded today was the best of the four games, but batting wise the performanc­e against New Zealand was better." Team's youngest member Jemimah Rodrigues said that endeavour will be to keep up the momentum in the upcoming semi-finals on Novermber 23. "I think it's important not just because it's Australia, but for ourselves and our team, because we've got the momentum," Rodrigues was quoted as saying by ICC website.

"So we need to keep that momentum, keep doing the things, don't focus mainly on the results. So I think it plays a huge impact on our team and I think we look forward to it, but not get carried away and try to do even better in the semi-finals," Rodrigues said.

Rodrigues said that Harmanpree­t's epic 171 dring last year's ODI World Cup also came up for discussion during the team meeting on the eve of the Australia match.

"There has been a report in the media by a Mumbai based tabloid dated November 17, 2018, with the headline— Be Humble: Virat Kohli gets a CoA memo. The BCCI after consulting with the team management would like to rubbish the report and classify it as baseless," a statement by BCCI said.

According to media reports, Kohli was sent a memo by the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administra­tors (CoA) to conduct himself with humility.

Meanwhile, Kohli, who was given break during the threematch T20I series against West Indies, will return to the field and take over captainshi­p for the upcoming three-match T20I and fourTest match series against Australia.

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