India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana took duty for the crew’s heartbreaking four-run loss to England within the Girls’s World Cup in Indore, admitting her dismissal triggered the batting collapse and that her teammates’ shot choice “may have been higher”.
Set a goal of 289, India appeared effectively on target with opener Mandhana (88) stitching two essential partnerships, 125 with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and 67 with Deepti Sharma, whereas anchoring the chase.
However her mistimed lofted shot to long-off opened the floodgates, as Richa Ghosh drilled one straight to cowl, after which, Deepti miscued a slog as India misplaced essential wickets to fall agonisingly wanting its goal.
“I feel everybody’s shot alternatives at the moment—we may have performed higher with our shot alternatives. Particularly it began from me, so I’ll take it on me, that the shot choice ought to have been higher,” Mandhana mentioned on the post-match press convention on Sunday.
“We simply wanted six (runs) per over. Possibly we must always have taken the sport deeper. I’ll take it on myself as a result of the collapse began from me.”
The left-hander mentioned feelings received the higher of her as she deviated from her personal plan of avoiding aerial strokes.
“I assumed I may take her on. I used to be attempting to purpose extra over covers. I mistimed that shot. Possibly the shot wasn’t wanted at the moment. I simply wanted to be extra affected person as a result of, all through the innings, I used to be attempting to inform myself to be affected person and to not play aerial photographs.
“Possibly the feelings took over for that one, which by no means helps in cricket. However, strolling again, I used to be fairly assured that we’ll be capable of get the win, but it surely’s cricket, you may’t ever assume too forward.”
The collapse was much like India’s efficiency within the earlier recreation towards Australia, the place the top-order supplied a stable platform, just for the center and decrease order batters to crumble.
Nevertheless, Mandhana additionally defended the batting unit, saying ending is all the time a tough job.
“In the event you see England’s innings, they didn’t end effectively as effectively. Entering into and attempting to get seven (runs) per over shouldn’t be a straightforward factor. So, I wouldn’t say that they haven’t… and I simply really feel that within the first two or three matches we positively completed effectively.
“In opposition to South Africa, we received nearly 90-plus runs within the final 10 overs, in order that they have just about performed quite a lot of good issues. It’s all about how we, the skilled gamers, can put our fingers up in these form of conditions and be there and information the youthful group.”
After persisting with a five-bowler mixture in its first 4 video games, the crew administration opted to usher in pacer Renuka Singh instead of batter Jemimah Rodrigues to strengthen the bowling assault towards England.
“Within the final two matches, for positive we thought that 5 bowling choices usually are not adequate, particularly on a flat monitor like Indore, or how perhaps the Vishakhapatnam second match performed.
“We aren’t privileged sufficient to have our batters who may bowl a couple of overs, which quite a lot of different groups can do. So, we thought that 5 bowling choices, particularly if one bowler has a foul day, it actually prices us lots.
“It was a really robust name to drop a participant like Jemi. However, typically, you could do these form of issues when it comes to getting the steadiness proper. However yeah, once more, it’s not like that is going to be there—we’ll must see how the scenario is, how the wicket will play after which we’ll take a name.”
The defeat was India’s third straight within the event, leaving its semifinal hopes hanging by a thread. It now must win its remaining two matches to remain in competition.
Printed on Oct 20, 2025