By Jon Batham for LastWordOnCricket
Sana Mir admits her failure to take the second batting powerplay was pivotal in Pakistan’s Women’s World Cup loss to West Indies yesterday.
Mir’s side were on the receiving end of the fastest ever ODI hundred by a West Indian in the shape of Deandra Dottin. Nevertheless, winless Pakistan were well in contention in reply, in a run chase always likely to be cut short by rain.
Crucially, with the clouds building again, the skipper and Pakistan management failed to use the powerplay at their disposal. Skipper Mir took responsibility for the error in the aftermath of a narrow 19-run defeat under the Duckworth/Lewis method.
“I think from my point of view I thought about it after the match,” she said.
“In hindsight as management and as a captain we should have taken it, while the set batters were there and the clouds were forming in order to give them a better chance.
“Sometimes when you are batting you don’t think of these things so this is something which has to come from outside [off the field] and I think it is a lapse on our side. It definitely cost us important runs.”
Fielding Failures but Batting Promise
Tactical error aside, Pakistan’s fielding again came under scrutiny as they failed to gain their elusive first win. Several times there were fumbles or slides beyond the ball, conceding crucial boundaries in a game of small margins.
While admitting it is an area which still needs improving, Mir felt such lapses weren’t decisive on this occasion.
“The shots they played were harder than the ones we played and it was a bit difficult for the fielders with the wet ball,” she said.
“But there is no excuse, we have to stop those boundaries. We have to have better fielding.
“But I also think those things got into balance when we started off with the batting,” she said. “The kind of batting Nahida and Javeria [Khan] were doing they were pretty comfortable.
“So, if we could have got that message out [re: taking the second powerplay] I think we could have done better with the result of the match.”
This latest defeat for Pakistan makes it six out of six for the tournament’s rank outsiders.
Mir’s side now face the other side with six losses, Sri Lanka, in the ‘Wooden spoon’ match on Saturday.
She is hopeful the seeds of a return to batting form for mainstays Nahida and Javeria offers hope they can break their duck.
“I’m happy with the way the batters responded today,” she added.
“It was a big score to chase and they were under pressure because of not scoring runs in the tournament.
“I think they showed some character today which was very important for the overall morale of the team.”
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