NAVI MUMBAI: Buoyed after their 49-run win over West Indies in the opening T20I at the DY Patil Stadium, the Indian women's team is sweating over the fitness of their captain Harmanpreet Kaur ahead of the second WT20I at the same venue on Tuesday evening.
While she scored an unbeaten 13 in India's total of 195 for four, Harman didn't come out to field as vice-captain Smriti Mandhana led the side.
"She suffered a niggle on the knee while batting. However, it's a bit early to say that she will be ruled out of the second T20I," a source told TOI. At the post-match presentation ceremony, Mandhana said, "She's doing fine. She is under the observation of the medical team."
'Proper sleep helped us overcome jet leg'
Meanwhile, Titas Sadhu, who took 3-37 as India restricted West Indies to 146 for seven in the opening T20I, explained why the team didn't appear to be sluggish despite having travelled n early 7, 300 kilometres from Perth -the venue of their third and final ODI against Australia on Wednesday- to Mumbai. "The fact that we landed here at night and we slept through the whole night properly, and so that kind of helped with the jet lag," Sadhu said.
The DY Patil Stadium has been a lucky venue for Sadhu. On Jan 5 this year, the 20-year-old had taken 4/17 to skittle Australia out for 141 and star in India's thumping nine-wicket win over world champions in the first T20I of that series.
Having played four out of her 10W20I matches at this venue has naturally helped the young seamer get accustomed to the conditions at a venue where bowling in the night, especially with so much of dew falling around, isn't an easy task.
"I think DY Patil (Stadium's) is a very true wicket and whoever is able to bowl in the right areas, get some help out of the wicket. One of the best things was that we have played here before at the same time of the year, so we are accustomed. We have knowledge about it, and that being the key, and so we knew there will still be some help from the wicket if we can actually bowl at the right areas and fortunately, we did that," she said.
