In a nail-biting encounter at the Wankhede Stadium, Australia secured a thrilling three-run victory over India in the second ODI, claiming the series in the process. Despite a valiant effort, India’s head coach Amol Muzumdar acknowledged key areas of improvement, pinpointing fielding and the challenges of death overs as crucial aspects that need attention.
Australia’s batting trio of Phoebe Litchfield, Ellyse Perry, and Alana King capitalized on multiple chances, contributing significantly to Australia’s challenging total of 258. Amol Muzumdar emphasized the missed opportunities and India’s struggles in the death overs as decisive factors in the outcome.
Addressing the media post-match, Amol Muzumdar candidly admitted, “There’s no doubt that our fielding was below par today. We dropped about six catches. It always happens in a game. Even they dropped a few. But having said that, we still are a work in progress.” He emphasized the need to focus on fielding and fitness in the coming days.
Despite Deepti Sharma’s standout performance with the ball, claiming figures of 5 for 38, she faced challenges with the bat in the later stages of the game. Amol Muzumdar refrained from singling out individuals for the defeat but stressed the collective effort required for improvement. “We fell short by three runs, but I cannot name anyone for the defeat. It’s just a collective effort,” he remarked.
Death overs concerns: Amol Mazumdar
The coach highlighted the crucial moments in the death overs, particularly Pooja Vastrakar’s 18-run final over, as an area that needs attention. “That’s one area where I feel we need to have a look and improve ourselves going forward, is the death overs, whether it is batting or bowling. We’ll be working hard on that,” Amol Muzumdar explained.
Despite the defeat, Muzumdar commended Richa Ghosh’s outstanding innings, scoring a career-best 96 at the No. 3 position. “Richa, fantastic knock, what a knock it was. Under pressure, at No. 3 – a new position for her – and she’s just proven why she is spoken about highly. Her talent speaks for herself,” he praised.
Muzumdar expressed confidence in Ghosh’s batting position, stating, “At least now we feel that Richa at No. 3 will be a very good choice.” As India reflects on the close call, the focus shifts to refining their fielding prowess and mastering the challenges of the death overs in pursuit of a stronger performance in the upcoming matches.
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