Muzumdar Backs Indian Batters Ahead of Crucial New Zealand Clash

Navi Mumbai, Oct 22 (PTI) Head coach Amol Muzumdar has expressed strong support for the Indian batters despite their recent struggles at the Women’s World Cup. Muzumdar believes that a big innings from the team is imminent as India aims for a semifinal spot. To achieve this goal, India needs a win against New Zealand, and for that, the batters must perform well in Thursday's crucial match.

The Indian batters have yet to score a century in this World Cup, and the strike rates of opener Pratika Rawal (70.99) and Harleen Deol (75.11) highlight the need for better top-order acceleration.

When asked about the lack of centuries, Muzumdar acknowledged, “We are well aware that a three-figure mark hasn't come in this World Cup. But if you look at the past 18 months before the World Cup, we've seen a lot more hundreds than ever before. Yes, the three-figure mark has not been reached yet.”

Muzumdar dismissed notions that the team is under pressure due to the absence of big individual scores. He stated, “I don't think there is a lot of load on anyone. We've had honest discussions about it, and the players have been upfront about needing to convert fifties into hundreds. I’m hopeful this will happen in the next couple of games.”

He played down concerns regarding the sub-80 strike rates of Rawal and Harleen, noting, “If you look at Pratika Rawal’s progression from last December, she averages around 50, and her strike rate is about 82-83. I think that is fantastic, and the entire team supports her and Harleen as well.”

Despite the challenges, Muzumdar praised skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s ability to handle the situation. He remarked, “In a home World Cup, there’s naturally some pressure, but this side is well equipped to handle it. We’ve got experienced players as well as promising newcomers. Harman has been leading fantastically.”

He expressed hope for a big knock from Harmanpreet, saying she found her rhythm in the last match. “She could have converted that innings, but again, we wish for a hundred. Knowing Harman, she's put in the work and hopefully, it all clicks in the coming games.”

Regarding Jemimah Rodrigues’ omission from the last match against England, Muzumdar commented, “Jemi is an integral part of this side we’ve built, but sometimes tough calls are necessary.”

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