MELBOURNE, 13 August, 2024: Indian Women’s A team captain, Minnu Mani, after the conclusion of the T20 series against Australia A, emphasising areas for improvement. Despite the team’s hard-fought efforts in the three-match series, Mani believes there is room for the squad to step up their game in the upcoming one-day series. Australian Captain Tahila McGrath praised some Indian players and said women’s cricket in India was making big strides.
Minnu Mani
Mani talked about the importance of playing against a formidable opponent like Australia, is a great opportunity.
“Getting a chance to play against Australia is a wonderful opportunity. We discussed ways to improve, and I am confident we will perform better in the one-dayers,” she stated during the zoom press conference today.
Addressing questions about the team’s morale, especially after the recent series defeats, Mani assured that the team’s spirit remains high.
“Winning or losing doesn’t affect our team’s coordination. We are united and in good spirits for the 50-over series commencing from Wednesday (14 Aug, 2024),” she added.
Reflecting on her performance, Mani stressed the importance of taking responsibility as the captain and adapting to the challenging playing conditions in Australia.
“As a captain, I feel, I should contribute for the team whatever the situation and I should show the responsibility, and I think it was a great learning experience for us to play here in different conditions and we will be getting better with more matches.”
About her teams’s batting order, Mani said, we are giving players different responsibilities to see how they perform under various scenarios. She praised Kiran, who showcased her ability to hit big and score runs consistently during the T20 series.
As the Indian Women’s A team gears up for the One-day series, Mani expressed confidence in their preparation, stating that the team has adapted well to the Australian conditions and is ready to take on the challenges ahead.
Tahila McGrath
Australian Captain Tahila McGrath said, ” We are excited about the upcoming matches. India has good talent.” McGrath acknowledged the strength of Indian players like Priya Punia and Minnu Mani, noting how they have challenged the Australian side.
“Priya is a really good batter and I’m pretty sure she was over here for her last India A-series as well. And then you look at the likes of Meghna Singh is an outstanding bowler and Ishaka, great spin bowler.”
She praised Shweta Sehrawat and Meghna Singh, who have been pushing Australia A to bring their best game forward.
“I’ve been really impressed with some of the Indian A-girls. I’ve come across a lot of them in the WPL before, played with probably four of them. I’m a big fan of Shweta. I think she’s a really good talent and I’ve loved seeing her over here in Australia.”
McGrath also talked about the impact of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) on Indian cricket, stating, “The WPL has fast-tracked the development of many Indian players, and their growth is evident. It’s exciting to see how quickly they’ve adapted and improved.”
About Women’s Cricket in India she said, ” It was moving ahead from strength to strength.”
Photo- Minnu Mani & Tahila McGarth
