Dubai: Having revived their campaign with a comprehensive win against archrivals Pakistan, the Indian women's cricket team is still in a tight corner as it lags in net run rate in Group A of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024 following a heavy loss to New Zealand in their first game.
India, who slumped to a big loss to the White Ferns in their first game of the tournament, got onto the points table with a win over Pakistan in the previous game. But the team took 18.5 overs to chase down only 106, the slow going thus not significantly reducing the deficit in the net run rate they copped after the first game.
With the group looking headed to a dramatic ending as four of the five teams are on two points apiece and the Indians will have to do a lot and without much delay to live up to their tag of pre-tournament favourite.
As they prepare for key clashes against Sri Lanka followed by Australia, senior batter Smriti Mandhana on Tuesday brushed aside concerns around the net run rate scenario that could crop up in this Group of Death.
"It [NRR] was playing in our minds last match against Pakistan," said Mandhana in the pre-match press conference ahead of the clash with Sri Lanka. "But the conditions are very different here in UAE and scoring quickly isn't quite easy."
"The first priority is to win the match and it's a balance between what is best for the team and what we can do in terms of NRR. I started off fine last game but I consumed dot balls later on, which was irritating for me.
"We can't go out there thinking we are going to attack any opposition and cruise, conditions and outfield are difficult. The first priority is winning than thinking of NRR in these situations. The group is definitely tricky, but it's just the start, we don't want to think too much ahead. One day at a time," she said. IANS
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