20 February - Gqeberha - India Captain Harmanpreet Kaur post-match press conference
[Reporter]
Just wanted to ask about your batting. We know that you are a fierce competitor and this tournament, how satisfied are you with your personal performances so far?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, I think the way I want to bat, I don't think I haven't done the way I was expecting. But being there is something which is very important. And today, that's what I was trying. But it was, I think, a great catch taken by the fielder. But these things happen when you're playing for a long time. I think sometimes whatever risk you want to take, sometimes they go in your favour and sometimes it doesn't. So, I think just being there and just playing free cricket is something which can always give you confidence. And that's what I have been trying here.
[Reporter]
And particularly about today, when Smriti Mandhana was batting out there, four drop catches. And do you think, what were the sort of conversations you were having with Smriti, when she was going all out after reaching her half-century?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, initially, I tried a few shots, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to convert those shots into the boundary. And then she told me that, you know, because sometimes, you know, a player is having a good day and then everybody was dropping her catches and she just wanted to express herself. And she told me, better to give me singles than you taking risks. And initially, that's what we did. And after, 15 overs, then you have to, you know, take a risk from both sides. And then that's what we decided to do. And I think a few shots, she played really well. And I think, because of her inning, we were able to score 150 because Ireland really bowling well today and they were not giving us loose balls. And, you know, end of the day, when you win, you feel satisfied. But I think a few areas, especially in batting, we want to sir and discuss how we have to go in the next game.
[Reporter]
I wanted to ask what, as a captain, what kind of conversations you have with someone like Shefali Verma, who hasn't been able to make the kind of impact that she generally does at the top. What kind of conversations you'll be having with the team management and herself personally?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, we have always given her that liberty, you know, where she can go and express herself. We never put too much pressure on ourselves because we know she's someone who likes to play free cricket. She's someone who doesn't like to, you know, talk too much before the game. And she knows our condition because we spend so much time here. She was here playing the Under-19 World Cup. She knows how the wicket, how the condition behaves. So, I think, I know her inning is very important for us because whenever she clicks, we know we are always into the game. Things are not under your control. You just need to fight for each and every ball. And I think in patches, she was doing well, we have been always backing her and that's what we want to do in the future also, because we know how important she is.
[Reporter]
One more, I just wanted to ask, today India had around 40 odd dot balls. So, could you talk about how was it batting in the middle? Was it difficult to rotate the strike or how was it?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, we did discuss these things in the previous meeting also, you know, against England also, we played too many dot balls. So, things like that, we have always, already discussing in the team meetings, but sometimes, when other team is bowling too well, end of the day, these wickets are something when you score 150, you know, that's a pass score for you. And it's important that, you know, 150 should be on the board other than just taking too much pressure. And I know, World Cup games are always something where, you know, both the teams are always under pressure. And I think these matches, if 150 is on the board, you're always into the upper hand. And I think we are not putting too much pressure on ourselves. We are just going there and understanding what conditions are there and just playing according to the situation. And dot balls are something which is already worrying us. And I think the next game, we would love to see some improvement in that area also.
[Reporter]
The last time India played Australia in a semi-final of a World Cup was in 2017. And we all know what happened there. How excited are you for that clash?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
Well, we always enjoy whenever we play against Australia and no matter, you know, we play against them in semis or any other tournament, we always want to give 100%. Because whenever you do well against Australia, you always get good confidence. And it will be a very crucial game for both the teams. We just want to go and enjoy our cricket.
[Reporter]
You said at the post-toss interview that a special video was shown for your 150th T20I appearance. Can you tell us in detail what it was? And to be the first cricketer, male or female, how important is it for the 19-year-old Harmanpreet Kaur who debuted back in 2009?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
I think it is a huge achievement for me because this is something which I never thought of. You know, one day I will, I will be the one who will play the most T20 cricket matches. But when I get such emotional videos from the team, you know, they were wishing me luck and they were, showing how important I was in their career, how important - I was supporting them all their ups and downs. I think that is something which, always motivates you. Before coming here, today's game, when I saw that video, everybody was appreciating the hard work which I have been doing for a long time. That was something, you know, which gives me a lot of confidence and showing their trust on each and every player and how important I was in their career. And I think that is something which gives me a lot of confidence. And I love to see someone else now, the other girls who are, you know, playing so much cricket, they should also do the same thing to the young players whenever they get a chance to appreciate them. So, I think this is something which is very important for any player. And it was good to see that, you know, everybody was wishing luck and, that small, small videos, the time they took for me was something which was very impressive. And I would love to thank Maruf and, Halim was the one who was taking the, you know, these videos. And I think it was something which I will always remember because these things - records and everything, it is always, you know, in the history. But these moments, which you always remember, I think it was a very emotional moment for me.
Last two here in the venue.
[Reporter]
You had a recent series against Australia. Was there anything particular then that you picked up that you'd like to take into the next match? Was there any sort of particular things that you picked up then that you'd like to work on going ahead to the next match?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
I think that series gave us a lot of confidence, you know, the brand of cricket we played in that particular series was something which gave us a lot of confidence. And now we know them very well, you know, we played five games back-to-back and then one practice game, we know, their strength, their weakness, we know what we have to do. So, I think, you know, when you play a bilateral series, that always gives you a lot of confidence and then the areas where you have to, improve as a team. So, I think we have that fair idea how we have to go about the next game and we just, you know, make our plan accordingly and then just go and just play our cricket.
[Reporter]
Harman, Vimal Kumar here. You've played in England, in Australia. Generally, the local crowd, Indian fans come a lot and support you. In that regard, all the matches you've played in South Africa, all the matches you've played, are you a little surprised that the local Indian fans haven't turned up like that?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
I think the first game we played in Cape Town with Pakistan, there was a lot of crowds in that match, but still, you know, the local crowd, the Indians weren't that visible, but the local crowd, they are supporting both the teams. That is something good to see that it's not like you always wait for the home crowd. The local crowd is also showing a lot of support. And for the next game, I'm sure, in Cape Town, we will definitely see a lot of people coming and watching because it's a first semi-final. So, I think we'll see a lot of things in the next game. And I hope, we'll see a lot of Indian supporters also because when Indian supporters are there, there's a different atmosphere in the team as well. So, I hope we'll see that in the next game.
[Reporter]
You've mentioned Australia in the end. So, do you think, because everyone is talking about Australia and their difference with the other teams, do you think there will be more pressure on Australia because their performance has been so dominant? Do you think that way or is there equal pressure on both the teams?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
I think there will be equal pressure because, our team has been doing well for many years and obviously, Australia has played very well in this tournament. They have been unbeaten and have always been doing well. And when we get a chance to play against them, our motive is to play good cricket. Because when you play good cricket in front of a team like Australia, you get to learn a lot as a player and as a team, you get a chance to do well in the future. So, I think it's a match that happens here, the team that does the best in every moment goes ahead. It's not like, a duo team is good, they will do well. So, I think we will just play our free career because whenever our team has played with freedom, we have always won big matches. So, I think our main motive will be to stay in a good mindset, stay positive and back ourselves.
[Reporter]
Congratulations for completing 150 T20i matches today and at the same time getting qualified for the semi-finals. I wanted to ask, what was the reason behind you coming to bat at number three today and then later on sending Richa at number four? Was it because of the right-hand left-hand combination that you wanted to continue with Smriti at the other end or you just wanted to increase the run rate at that time?
[Harmanpreet Kaur]
See, after seven, eight overs, definitely I want to go and bat. And then Richa is doing really well in this tournament, that's why she went. And then definitely, we were looking for left- and right-hand combination because when left and right is playing, it's always, you know, a little difficult to ball. And that was the reason, and we are very, very much comfortable in shuffling our order because we are not someone, who is very rigid with the batting order. And that's what, you know, we always spoke in the team meetings also. So, we will in bowling also, whenever we see whoever, you can do. well that person will come and ball and in batting also batting order is something which we will not make it uh one batting about batting order which is you know stay throughout the tournament. We will be very flexible if wickets in our hand, then whoever is going that is also clear with everyone.
Today you know that part a partnership between Smriti and Shefali was there and then i wanted to go and express myself and then Richa and then Dipti came so I think everyone in the team they know their role, they know when and how we have to go and back so I think these things are very much clear in our team and so that is the reason we are very flexible with all the things.