“We are quite happy with the overall outcome,” Nigar said after the third and final game tied in Dhaka. We would have been thrilled to win the series.
Respectable progress has been made. Many at home didn’t know Bangladesh’s players. Now people will recognize Nahida, Pinky, and Marufa.
I believe this is impressive. It was great of the cricket board to praise us. They watched our games. Our crowd backed us. The media promotes us.”
Fargana got special recognition from Nigar for scoring the first Bangladesh women’s ODI century. We batted well.
Very positive “Nigar commented. Pinky apu batted well. Holding one end. We couldn’t bat 50 overs in the last game, so we set a goal today.”
She batted at No. 3 in the first two ODIs, but head coach Hashan Tillakaratne told her to start the batting in the last game the night before.
She returned the favor by scoring 107, the first ODI century by a Bangladeshi woman, and winning the inaugural Player-of-the-Series title.
“I usually bat first. I played No. 3, but the head coach ordered me to psychologically prepare to begin the innings yesterday “Fargana. “I went to the wicket confident. I adjusted to the swing. Believed in myself.
We have four or five big-scoring bats. You must be skilled against huge squads. I trusted my talents and process.
“I wanted to build on my start. Slow results mean we’ll keep doing the same thing. I loved that I batted long and it worked. I want to enhance my batting since it’s not perfect.”
Was there nervousness in the 1990s?
“I hadn’t scored a hundred yet, but I watched people score centuries. Mushfiq bhai scored 100. Najmul Hasan Shanto bhai scored two hundreds recently.
She saw how they spent time in the center. Hitting every ball on its merit was my goal, not scoring a hundred.
When I hit 96, I panicked. I practised some deliveries. I told myself I had to bat till the end to be a good hitter. My pals were upset when I left on 47 last game. I got the large score by sticking to the procedure.”
Nigar was pleased with India’s turnaround from 160 for 3 and 191 for 5 to 225 all out, although she thought her team should have bowled better early.
“I think we could have won if we bowled better,” Nigar stated. “It wouldn’t have gone this far then. We recovered nicely from a bad ball powerplay.
I think we overcome some second-game blunders. We should have ended this series in game 2. We can learn a lot from this series.
The best thing is playing well against a top opponent. This performance invigorated us. We are feeling pleased about our break. Tied the game, therefore we won. It boosts everyone.”
‘It’s more about application’ – Mandhana vows to be consistent after tough Bangladesh tour
India vice-captain admits to not being able to convert starts on “challenging” Mirpur surface, but is confident “it will reflect soon”
In the current tour, Bangladesh women have made a superstar Indian batting line-up struggle on spinner-friendly pitches.
Run-scoring is difficult for India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. Mandhana, a free-flowing stroke-maker, hasn’t been at his best on tour. She broke an 11, 1, and 13 skid with a 58-ball 36 in the second ODI.
Bangladesh did their research by giving the opening little speed initially. Her dismissals were out to spin in four of five innings. In the last ODI on Saturday, Bangladesh is unlikely to modify that strategy.
Mandhana said she hasn’t worked hard enough. But she said she was trying to demolish that uneven shape.
“I think I’ve been batting well in the nets; in matches, I’ve started,” Mandhana added. “I seldom end up middling the ball and not scoring for the team. Currently working on it.
“On the last match, I was pleased with how I started the team, but I lost my wicket. The focus is on application. It’s going okay batting-wise, but my application hasn’t been the same. I’ve been doing that.”
Mandhana, like the rest of India, hasn’t played much cricket lately. After March’s first Women’s Premier League (WPL), the club had two months off.
Senior players were brought in for two weeks while a focused group enjoyed a month-long fitness camp.
Mandhana had a disappointing WPL season, despite some promising starts. Mandhana led Royal Challengers Bangalore to a fifth-place finish in the six-team event, scoring 149 runs in eight games at 111.19, much behind her T20I strike rate of 123.49.
After the WPL, we had few tournaments. In the previous three months, I’ve worked hard on cricket and batting. I haven’t gotten high grades, but my work will pay off and I’ll earn consistent results.”
“These wickets need more effort than flat tracks. I won’t say it matches our batting style, but we must adjust.”
Smriti Mandhana laughed when asked if these wickets fit her team’s approach. On two-paced decks at Mirpur’s Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, the ball has spun, paused on hitters, and even been held low in all games. Most Indian hitters had to dramatically change their games on this surface.
“Definitely, these have been challenging wickets to play on, I don’t know if it suits which style of batting,” Mandhana laughed. “I won’t worry about the wicket. We played well in the last match and reached 200 points.
These wickets need more work than flat tracks. It’s about adapting, not if it matches our batting style. Every time we play cricket, we must do it.”
Bangladesh’s spin choking has produced young Marufa Akter. maiden ODI: Her blistering spell plagued the visitors in a chase of 153 and her career-best four-for helped Bangladesh win its maiden ODI over India. Mandhana lavished admiration on the 18-year-old.
“I think she has a very different action,” Mandhana said. She’s faster than we think for her activity. Her ball skids more than expected from her release point.
She’s great cricketer. I chatted with her after the match, praising her efforts. It has motivated us all.
No matter her age, her effort on the girls is wonderful. She will be a great Bangladeshi cricketer with her fire. That bowling speed may be 2mph faster than you think. These wickets aren’t helping her much; we’ll see in England and Australia.”
Mandhana also praised Bangladesh for making the series more competitive than expected. “From playing them at the Asia Cup in Sylhet last year, they’ve grown, especially as bowlers,” she remarked. “Their fielding has been great. Their bowling assault is excellent on these wickets, but we’re training to be better players.”
