IT'S CRUNCH TIME: The usually prolific and attacking opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Varma has not yet fired in the T20 WC. (Photo by Alex Davidson via Getty Images)
Harman fit, but team needs to improve NRR vs Sri Lanka
The Indian women's team's T20 World Cup campaign has not got off to an ideal start, and they have only themselves to blame. Among the pre-tournament favourites, Harmanpreet Kaur and Co's performance has been below par. Heading into their third match, coach Amol Muzumdar and his support team will be working overtime to correct course.
India endured a mixed start, losing the opener to New Zealand by 58 runs and then managing to get past Pakistan with an unconvincing six-wicket win, which put them in a spot of bother. On Wednesday, they will take on Group A's bottom-placed Sri Lanka looking to shore up their net run rate (-1.217).
The good news for Team India is that skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who had hurt her neck in the game against Pakistan, is fit for the clash against Sri Lanka. "She (Harman) is doing fine and she will be fine for tomorrow," vice-captain Smriti Mandhana told reporters. Pooja Vastrakar, who missed the previous game due to a niggle, is uncertain for the game.
The side's biggest concern, however, is the poor show of the batting unit. The explosive openers have failed to make an impact so far.
Shafali Varma
has struggled against spin, scoring just two against New Zealand and labouring to 32 against Pakistan.
Similarly, Mandhana has had a disappointing start, with scores of 12 and 7 respectively. The team's Powerplay scores of 43/3 against New Zealand and 25/1 against Pakistan have been dismal as well.
The onus will be on Mandhana to take the lead against Sri Lanka's spin-heavy attack. Although her record against Sri Lanka is not impressive, with only 379 runs from 19 innings, including two half-centuries, she must provide the team with a solid start in this crucial league match. The bowlers too are yet to come into their own.
India boast a dominant 19/5 record against Sri Lanka but one of those defeats came recently in the Asia Cup final in July. While the desire for revenge can be a powerful motivator, it's important to note that unlike Sri Lanka, the Indian team hasn't played a match since then.
The World Cup is not a tournament that allows for dress rehearsals and a loss to Sri Lanka could potentially end India's campaign, especially considering their upcoming match against formidable Australia.
Sri Lanka, having suffered losses against Pakistan and Australia, will be eager to secure their first points. The Chamari Athapaththu-led side will look to capitalize on India's vulnerabilities and make a strong comeback.
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