Smriti Mandhana Defends India's Defensive Play in T20 Showdown

India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana justified her team's cautious batting against Pakistan in the Women's T20 World Cup, where they narrowly achieved their target of 106 runs. Despite challenges and wicket losses, India's net run rate showed slight improvement post-match. Next, they prepare to face Sri Lanka.

India's vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, defended the team's conservative batting strategy in their 106-run chase against Pakistan, a match that significantly impacted their Women's T20 World Cup semi-final prospects.

During the innings, India struggled to reach the target, losing four wickets with only seven balls remaining. The innings featured five boundaries compared to Pakistan's eight. Despite the challenges, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's 29 runs before her injury steered India to victory. Mandhana acknowledged a slow start but remained optimistic about improving their net run rate, which had increased marginally after the match.

Mandhana anticipated a better performance against Sri Lanka, while Pakistan's captain, Fatima Sana, believed her team fell short by 15 runs in their batting effort against India.

(With inputs from agencies.)