New Delhi, The fallout from the intense battle between the Indian women’s cricket team and Australia has taken an unexpected turn as Harmanpreet Kaur’s post-match comments face scrutiny. The captain’s assessment of young teammate Shreyanka Patil’s performance in the critical 19th over has stirred controversy, drawing strong criticism from former India pacer Dodda Ganesh.
Shreyanka Patil, a 19-year-old cricketer, was entrusted with the daunting task of defending a modest score against the formidable Australian side at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. In a high-pressure situation, Shreyanka conceded 17 runs in the crucial 19th over, ultimately contributing to Australia’s victory in the penultimate clash of the three-match series.
Harmanpreet, in her post-match analysis, remarked, “If Shreyanaka was on target in the 19th over, things would have been different, but these close games help to identify areas to improve.” While the captain intended to highlight areas of improvement, her choice of words has ignited a debate on whether she unfairly singled out the young cricketer for the team’s performance.
Former India pacer Dodda Ganesh did not hold back in his criticism, stating that “throwing a 19-year-old kid under the bus is not done.” Ganesh voiced his disapproval of Harmanpreet’s comments, emphasizing the need to support and nurture young talents rather than placing blame.
In addition to the controversy, the match itself saw Australia successfully restrict India to a total of 130 for 8. Batswomen Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, and Deepti Sharma contributed to the score. Australia’s Ellyse Perry, celebrating her 300th international appearance, played a pivotal unbeaten innings of 34, securing a 6-wicket win over India.
As Harmanpreet’s India Women prepare for the upcoming 3rd T20I on Tuesday, the controversy adds an extra layer of scrutiny to their quest for a maiden T20I series win over Australia.
