India’s World Cup campaign is in need of a serious rethink following a heavy defeat to New Zealand and a narrow victory over Pakistan.
During India’s chase against Pakistan in the 16th over, they lost Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh to consecutive deliveries from Fatima Sana. Despite being four wickets down, they were not in immediate danger of losing, though the target became a tricky 26 runs from 27 balls.
With big-hitter S Sajana in the XI as a replacement for the injured Pooja Vastrakar, this was India’s chance to take an aggressive approach. Sajana, known for her power-hitting, had earned her World Cup spot after hitting a last-ball six in the WPL 2024 opener. However, instead of unleashing Sajana, India sent out Deepti Sharma at No. 6.
Deepti took a cautious approach, scoring just singles, while Sajana only came in at the end to hit the winning boundary after captain Harmanpreet Kaur retired hurt. This cautious gameplay reflected India’s overall approach during the chase. They didn’t hit a single boundary during the powerplay and attempted just three aggressive shots in the first six overs.
Smriti Mandhana admitted that India could have handled the chase differently. She acknowledged that a better start would have been ideal but pointed out that they were trying to avoid losing too many wickets. The victory, while crucial, leaves India in a precarious position with tough matches ahead, particularly against Sri Lanka and potentially Australia.
India’s batting lineup and fielding have come under scrutiny, especially around the No. 3 position. Harmanpreet, who was initially set to play at No. 3, was replaced by Rodrigues against Pakistan, and now faces a fitness concern with a neck spasm. Yastika Bhatia may be a replacement, but her recent lack of match time could be a gamble.
Harmanpreet has expressed a desire to follow Rohit Sharma’s intent-driven approach that led India’s men’s team to recent successes. However, unless India steps up their game soon, they may find themselves struggling to stay in contention.
