Flying high: Harmanpreet enjoys a lighter moment with her teammates at training would be hoping that she returns to form.
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI
All’s well that ends well.
No wonder that Harmanpreeet Kaur’s cavaliers will be hoping to sign off a gruelling five weeks of international cricket with a win against Australia on Tuesday before entering a slumber for international cricket for the Women in Blue.
The last game of the home international season — India women’s 11th across formats in 35 days — will be critical on multiple counts.
Despite Sunday’s drubbing at the D.Y. Patil stadium to square the series off, the deciding rubber of the three-match T20I series offers yet another opportunity for India to clinch a rare T20I series against Australia. Moreover, the game also offers India to end a largely fruitful season against the two most challenging outfits on a celebratory note.
According to the women’s FTP, India’s next fixture is directly the T20 World Cup in September. However, the BCCI is planning to organise at least one home series in the lead-up to the marquee event.
While all the ladies will be occupied with the remaining domestic season that will culminate with the Women’s Premier League before the stars head to The Hundred later in the year, Tuesday’s game will be the last in India’s blues.
Captain Harmanpreet, far from being at her best with the willow, cannot ask for a better opportunity than the series finale to come to the party with a match-winning knock. If Harmanpreet can rise to the occasion, it will make the task easier for her colleagues to get the better of a formidable Australia.
Australia — after being annihilated in the series-opener last week — made a strong comeback to control Sunday’s game and keep the series alive. It will hope that captain Alyssa Healy calls it right at the toss for the second time in succession. After all, ‘win the toss, bowl first and win the game’ has been the template witnessed in the first two games. The swing early on before the moisture sets in has resulted in the pacers making a big impact in the first innings.
Irrespective of the start, though, considering there is plenty at stake, Harmanpreet and Co. will be desperate to end the night on a high.
The teams (from):
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (Capt.), Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia, Richa Ghosh, Amanjot Kaur, Shreyanka Patil, Mannat Kashyap, Saika Ishaque, Renuka Singh, Titas Sadhu, Pooja Vastrakar, Kanika Ahuja, Minnu Mani.
Australia: Alyssa Healy (Capt.), Darcie Brown, Heather Graham, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham.
Match starts at 7 p.m.