New Zealand’s Sophie Devine drew a parallel between the women’s team and the acclaimed men’s squad that had a rousing World Cup.
Asked about the aggressive manner in which she and her mates went after the Indian total in the second ODI here on Wednesday and probed whether it was pre-planned, Devine said: “Yes, absolutely, we spoke about it even before the start of the tour. If you look at the Blackcaps and how they play especially at the World Cup, we don’t want to copy them but we want to learn from them, it’s obviously a very New Zealand way of doing things. We have got the players, we come out and take to the team in the first ten overs.”
Devine also drew strength from the team’s deep batting. “The good thing about our side is that everyone bats, right down to No. 9. We have got full confidence in our batting,” she said and also lauded the Indian spinners: “You should credit to the way some of the India girls bowled today. Their spinners were really good.”
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Meanwhile, India’s Thirushkamini rued her cramps that hampered her batting towards the end. “I started off very well and after I had the cramps I wasn’t strong enough to continue with my innings when I did come back. If I hadn’t had the cramps I might have been able to bat longer. It started in the calf and it eventually became a full-body cramp,” she said and stressed that the top-order has to click.