12 February - Cape Town - Pakistan Captain Bismah Maroof post-match press conference
[Reporter]
How do you sum up the match?
[Bismah Maroof]
I think overall we played very good cricket throughout the match but I think we did have errors in our bowling I think that was that cautious but overall, I think it was a very good match and we will take that forward and be better in the next game.
[Reporter]
Obviously that partnership between you and Ayesha was incredibly important in setting up that score is there a case for perhaps batting her higher up the order so that she can come in and face a few more balls?
[Bismah Maroof:[
I think the role we have given to her we are more she is more I think up to it and we are confident setting her at 5 or 6 because that game suits her and hopefully she will continue her form in the next matches.
[Reporter]
Ayesha showed us how hard she can hit the ball and she seems like one of those really good power hitters obviously none from your team are in tomorrow's auction how does it feel knowing that someone like her and yourself are going to miss out?
[Bismah Maroof]
We as Pakistan you know we don't get many opportunities to play in the leagues that's very unfortunate and of course we are liking that and definitely we will love to play every opportunity we got in the leagues but yeah that's what it is and we can't control that.
[Reporter]
Did your half century remind you of the 2018 World Cup you and Nida Dhar played one of the best knocks of your life first 50 were you confident that after scoring one of the best your team has ever produced in front of India, it will be so close?
[Bismah Maroof]
Yeah, we know that will be close because we know that India have a very deep batting depth so it was just the ball in the right areas and I think we are on the wrong side today but yeah learning from this we will take that forward in the next game to improve them.
[Reporter]
Hard luck on the result. So, wanted to ask with the in the larger scheme of things do you think that that extra one ball that the team bowled in the seventh over which went for seven balls the last ball went for boundary it could have been a close game do you think it had any kind of impact or something like that on the result?
[Bismah Maroof]
I don't think so it was important to ball in the right channel and I think we missed that today that's not.
[Reporter]
Also, on batting with Ayesha you know what kind of conversations you are having we know that you know the ability she has and the way she can hit the ball long but to build a partnership such as that what kind of conversations you are having with her in the middle?
[Bismah Maroof]
I would just keeping her calm and telling that just pick your ball otherwise just rotate the strike.
[Reporter]
There seems to be a wonderful atmosphere in the stands between the rival supporters and often the narrative that we get from you know India-Pakistan games is one of hate almost. What do you think those fans can teach people who maybe want to foster bad feelings?
[Bismah Maroof]
It was very loud in the middle we couldn't hear our partner from the non-striker end but yeah it was fun to play among the whole crowd and I think the cricket was very good played by the board team and they've enjoyed it.
[Reporter]
Do you think they could teach other people a lesson by getting along so well?
[Bismah Maroof]
Maybe, I don't know.
[Reporter]
Are you happy with the quality of the fielding and is there any area that you think needs working on?
[Bismah Maroof]
I think today we were good in fielding area but I think we missed our plans in bowling unit so yeah, we'll take that.
[Reporter]
Did you think you could have accelerated earlier in the innings?
[Bismah Maroof]
We lost wickets in the middle and we were just trying to put up a partnership and play deep but - no no regrets for that but I think it was a good total to defend but yeah, we didn't bowl in the right areas.
[Reporter]
So, you bowled both slow left handers out by the 17th over India was struggling at the both the left handers so was that a plan to bowl them out and make the game tighter end at the last three overs?
[Bismah Maroof]
Yes, that was the plan actually.
[Reporter]
Bismah Maroof, you played a very good cricket and put a very competitive total but unfortunately things didn't went your way especially and it was what you think that what was the turning point of the match? [
[Bismah Maroof]
I think in the last five to six overs I think we gave away too many runs and we didn't keep them quiet, I think we gave away boundaries at the wrong time so I think that that may be the turning point for us.