15 February - Cape Town - India Captain Harmanpreet Kaur post-match press conference
[Reporter]
Your thoughts on the way the campaign started, two wins in two matches and how crucial was getting those two wins out of the way.
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, it was important for us two wins first two games, because you get that momentum and I think the way we played that was more satisfied for me because, we wanted to start with little calmness and without, putting any pressure on us. And that's how we started. And I think that was a big positive for me.
[Reporter]
I wanted to ask one thing. The way Richa Ghosh batted today and the way we saw her practice also, she was hitting the ball as hard as she does in the nets as well. So, could you throw some light on the way she prepares in the nets and the way she hits bowlers in the nets as well?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, I think how much I know, whenever Rishi sir and she is speaking, they're only talking about picking the right ball, because that is very important for her because earlier, she was a little in hurry - because she's someone who can always clear the ball. And I think that's why, they discuss picking the right ball is the key for her. And I think good to see that she's understanding which is her zone and which ball she can hit and which ball to just take a single. So, I think showing that maturity is something which we are really happy to see.
[Reporter]
Harmanpreet, how would you rate your innings because we know you didn't play both of the warmup matches and didn't get to play much deliveries in the first match. So how would you rate these innings and how was it to spend some time in the middle?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, personally, for me, it was very important. That's why, I didn't show any hurry because it was a chaseable total according to our batting line-up. And I had that self-belief that if I can spend some time and we have a batter who can execute their self. And that's why - I was just spending some time there and when Richa came and then I know she's in good touch. My job is only to give her a single and I just spend some time and then I can get the confidence.
[Reporter]
And a word on Deepti Sharma, how she's performing, the confidence she's carrying, the way she's bowling. Of course, last match was an odd-off. But your thoughts on Deepti Sharma and her being an asset for the team?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, as you mentioned last game, she didn't bowl what we were expecting from her. But in the team meeting, we discussed the area where she has to bowl and the speed and, in the air, how much air she has to give in there when she's bowling. I think the discussion with Troy and Deepti was very important. And end of the team meeting, we came to one point -which speed she has to bowl and which line she has to bowl. I think that was something which she was able to do. And I think as a player, it's very important to understand and executing is something which is more important and good to see that she was able to do that. And we're happy to see her performing again.
[Reporter]
So yesterday at the nets - Troy had an extensive meeting with the bowlers. What was the talking point, what were the things they were discussing?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, he's someone who always puts them under pressure, even in the net sessions also, every ball is important whenever - no matter wherever you're bowling and he's putting pressure on them. And before bowling any ball, they are discussing which areas they have to bowl and, what field placement they are keeping for any particular ball. I think those things they are discussing in the team meeting and before any practice session and good to see that, everybody is comfortable with him and whatever ideas he's sharing, he's sharing which is very important for all of us and good to see that everybody is so comfortable and understanding the condition and doing accordingly.
[Reporter]
When our male team plays in the ICC tournament, there is a lot of expectation from them, and whenever India plays, they say that they will do well in the ICC tournament. Now, from the past few years, the way our women's team has played, do you feel the expectation in this tournament? I mean, these two matches that were expected with Pakistan or West Indies and this kind of feeling, do you feel that the expectation has increased a lot?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Look, I feel that whenever you come to play in any ICC tournament, all the teams expect that they do well and we also think that whenever we come for the World Cup, we do well and all the matches are important because first you have to do the calculations of how to play in the semi-finals and after that the final important match happens. So, I think the calculations that we are doing are more important than just thinking that we are playing in the World Cup and we have to do well and we discuss that in the team meeting - that staying in the present is more important rather than just putting extra pressure that we are playing on a big stage and what extra we have to do. We decide in the team meeting that we don't need to try anything new; we have to stick to what we know and stick to our strength and if we play according to our strength, we will definitely get the result.
We are not very much worried about the result; we only want to go and execute ourselves and I think we are going into every match thinking about that.
[Reporter]
What I meant to say is that traditionally the powerhouse is considered to be England and Australia. When you get that kind of feel from the crowd or from the other teams, the way England and Australia get the respect, India is also getting that respect in the World Cup stage.
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
I think that in the World Cup stage, every team is important because every team is well prepared and I know that Australia and England are a team that have played cricket well for a long time. Obviously, they have set a different standard for themselves and our team is such that we have been growing for a long time and now we have a team that has been playing together for a long time and it feels good that the team is performing day by day and when you have good results, you have a lot of expectations from yourself and I think before talking about others, we have high expectations from ourselves – the way we have been playing good cricket for a long time and we really want to do well whenever we get on the ground.
[Reporter]
Could you just give a word on the young batters, Shafali and Richa and just how you see them progressing, especially taking on the short ball?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, they are someone who really like to play short balls. They are not the traditional Indian batters who like to play the drives and stuff like that. I think they are someone who really enjoy the short balls and they are now with the senior team for a long time. They have already, I guess they have played more than 50 matches now. They know what type of international cricket is and what type of balls you are going to face, when you are going to bat, what speed is going to come and I think they are mature enough and their understanding they give very well and good to see that they are taking the responsibility and taking us through in any situation.
[Reporter]
Do you think there was a bit more on them today when Smriti got out early and then Shafali really kind of turned it on?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, now we have a long batting line-up and we only discussed we just need to go and express. We don't need to think about whoever is got out. We are not going to put any extra pressure on ourselves because everyone in the team, they are capable of winning the game and we are just trusting each other. Whoever is in the middle, we are showing that trust that person can pull the game for us.
[Reporter]
It's a good solid win, but it took quite a long time to chase down a small target. Was that about conditions or the bowling or did you always have the confidence and you weren't kind of rushing?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, sometimes ball was coming really nicely on the bat and sometimes it was getting some help from the pitch. Wicket is like that and our main focus was just go and play according to the ball other than just - and I know as a T20 cricketer, we always want to play some aggressive cricket, but sometimes playing with a more sensible cricket is more important than just showing, , what you have. I think that's what we did today. Staying there is more important than every time showing aggressive cricket and I think the way Richa batted today and I think that shows us how much strength we have in our batting and we just need to take some time and just spend - just take your time and then you can execute yourself.
[Reporter]
We've got a good deep batting line-up, but bowling seems to be a little bit of a concern. Last match, five overs, 58 runs. Today, we did slightly better at 38 runs in the last five overs. However, two of our top spinners, Devika and Radha, could only bowl three overs between the two of them. Does it bother you? Because Radha is also losing out on catches and those run out chances, half run out chances. Your views?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, I think we have a long batting and bowling line up also, and personally for me, I think whoever is doing well at that particular time is more important than just going with the name and numbers. I think that is something you just need to just think whoever is going well, you just need to continue with that. Radha did really well in the first game, but today she didn't get that rhythm and West Indies team is someone - if you give them loose ball, they are going to get runs on those balls and we didn't want to give any chance to them and that's why, , we just give bowling to those bowlers who are doing well and other than just, , trying too many things on the field. I know we didn't bowl according to our plan. Some balls were here and there and that was also something we need to, work on in the next because when someone like Australian team and England team is batting, you cannot do these types of mistakes. I know those things in our mind and we will just go back and discuss how we have to go in the next games.
[Reporter]
Good luck for the next match against England. I just wanted to ask you about Deepti, one more thing. Just when you came out of the pandemic, India had a little bit of a phase where the spinners were not taking too many wickets. I think there was a six - seven-month period when the spinners collectively were not performing too well. But since then, Deepti has found her rhythm. I think last year was probably one of her best years and now she's continuing to bowl well. How did she come out of that phase and how important is a wicket taking ability for you as a captain? Just talk to us about the change in Deepti Sharma over the last year or so, if you have seen anything.
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, when you play too many T20s, that time you feel like you want to try too many things. And that's what I felt she was doing when she was not getting the wickets. And we had that talk that you are a spinner, you have to trust your skill other than just thinking about if you can bowl yorkers, faster ones. I know they are something which you have a plus, but your spin is something which is your first priority. And that's why we did work in the nets where she can, , focus on more spinning the ball other than just looking for some extra things like faster ones or wide yorkers and stuff like that and i think that thing really helping her now her focus is more on the spinning the ball other than trying too many things -I think that is the reason she's getting that result because as a spinner when you're spinning the ball which is very important for you and batter is always thinking that when if you spin it's not that easy to hit the ball. So I think that that was the key point which she understood that if she can spin that is more dangerous than the other stuff - I think that is something which is helping her now.
[Reporter]
Talking a little more about Deepti Sharma, how is she as a teammate? You have shared the dressing room with her for many years, you have also played against her as an opposition captain in the Women’s T20 challenge? What is her nature like, we don’t see much of her on social media. As a senior player, teammate, how have you seen her evolve?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
First, she used to be reserved, but now she talks a little and helps out other players too. She is such a player – like you said you won't see much of her on social media, but her self-belief, her confidence is very high in itself. She knows her strengths, her weaknesses, what she needs to put into the match and what now, she is someone who can very quickly adapt to the situation. Like you see right now, in the last match her bowling was not very good, and today to make a comeback and getting Player of the Match – that shows how mentally strong she is and how easily she can adapt to a situation. She is someone who as a captain I can trust and she has improved in batting day by day and she is finishing the games in a low order. As a player – she shows what we have been expecting from her for a long time. She understood her game very well, how to finish it, how to work on the running between the wickets. She is someone who can give you all the fielding, bowling, batting and the team depends on her a lot. It feels good that she is improving day by day as a cricketer and her performance is very important for the team.
