In the practice matches against South Africa and the West Indies, Harmanpreet managed to make an 11-ball 10 and one off three balls respectively. Before Friday\u2019s game at the Dubai International Stadium, Harmanpreet had just 18 games at No.3 \u2013 the last of which came in February 2023 against Ireland - scoring 298 runs overall at an average of 21.28.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIf we talk experience-wise, then Harmanpreet Kaur has loads of experience. But if she bats at number five, - like if you look at the game against New Zealand in 2018, where she played a knock of 103, it came from that position. So, the more successful position for her has been batting at number four and five, as she\u2019s capable of smashing big hits needed for the team and finishes off the game well.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIf you remember, there was a game in the WPL, where her team was nowhere in the game, she pulled the game with her big hits (95 not out against Gujarat Giants) and took the match till the end to get a win. So I feel if Harmanpreet bats at number four or five, she will be able to bat with a successful strike rate for the Indian team and make the team win,\u201d said Poonam in response to a query from IANS on a Star Sports Press Room show episode for the ongoing tournament.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Sanjay Bangar, the former India men\u2019s batting coach, had a different take \u2013 saying Harmanpreet\u2019s move to No.3 was necessary in the light of others like Sajana Sajeevan, Yastika Bhatia, Dayalan Hemalatha and Uma Chetry being tried there, but not making the spot theirs\u2019.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cMy mind goes back to the way the men's team also had stacked up with the number one, two, three, like in Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli. All the top guns batting one after the other. So it\u2019s a very similar situation.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cBut the point here is that they've made the decision and it was a very well thought out decision because there was always this debate like taking into account that No.3 position wasn't really the most productive position.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWhoever was tried at that particular position, nobody had taken their chances that much. So I think in a way it's a very positive move that maybe Harmanpreet would have had success at number four or five, but that's well in the past.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cIf you pushed your best player at No.3, then let her settle in that role and if she has a cracker of a World Cup, she may just end up being the player of the tournament. So there are two ways of looking at it and I just believe that taking into account her experience, it's better to be batting up rather than batting down,\u201d he elaborated.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India\u2019s build-up to the tournament was rather muted \u2013 not playing an international game for nearly two months after becoming runners-up to Sri Lanka in the Women\u2019s Asia Cup final in July. In this period, they had various camps at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) focusing on fitness, fielding and skills, as well as played practice games at the Just Cricket Academy in Bengaluru before departing for the UAE.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In that period, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Pakistan played bilateral games as part of the preparation for the T20 World Cup. Poonam, who bamboozled Australia with a spell of 4-19 in the 2020 T20 World Cup group stage at Sydney, felt India could have played a series before going for the mega event.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI believe that by playing in a series or two, you would have worked on your playing skills. But if the team management feels that there is more work needed on fitness and fielding, as well as on some learnings from the Women\u2019s Asia Cup, then what\u2019s why they organised those camps.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In that period, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and Pakistan played bilateral games as part of the preparation for the T20 World Cup. Poonam, who bamboozled Australia with a spell of 4-19 in the 2020 T20 World Cup group stage at Sydney, felt India could have played a series before going for the mega event.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
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