Navi Mumbai: A proud Indian women’s team coach Amol Muzumdar, a domestic stalwart who never got the chance to don the national colours, said his only message to his wards before the big semifinal against seven-time champions Australia was to “finish well”, and the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side did just that.
Chasing a record 339 for win, Jemimah Rodrigues produced an innings of the highest quality under pressure, hitting 127 not out off 134 balls as India defeated Australia by five wickets to make the Women’s ODI World Cup final for the third time here on Thursday night.
She laid the foundation of the win with a 167-run stand with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (89).
“There were no big messages. We always told each other we need to finish well. We usually start well, but finishing has been our area to improve. Today was that day,” Muzumdar said after the famous win.
Muzumdar, who took charge of the women’s team in October, brought a sense of stability and gave direction to the side with his calm demeanour.
The defeats against Australia, England, and South Africa in the group stage raised some eyebrows but the domestic stalwart was clear about his goals.
Prior to the semifinal against Australia, Muzumdar had written just one sentence on the whiteboard: “We just need one more run than them to reach the final.” Muzumdar made some bold decisions and backed youngsters like Kranti Goud and Shree Charani, which paid rich dividends.
“Kranti has been sensational since her debut. She’s young, but she’s done wonders with every opportunity. She’s learning every day. Renuka Thakur complements her beautifully,” Muzumdar said.
He also backed Rodrigues to the hilt, and his decision to promote her at No.3 turned out to be a masterstroke.
“I always felt Jemi has the temperament to shift gears. That one move made a difference,” Muzumdar said.
The 50-year-old Mumbai stalwart too praised other senior players, including skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma.
“Harman was calm, smiling all the way through. Deepti kept motivating everyone, and Smriti was her usual cheerful self. Everyone knows their role, and that helps,” Muzumdar said.
Muzumdar said the loss against England in the group stage fired up the side.
“The next practice session had more energy and intent. Sometimes it’s not failure. It’s just a hiccup that teaches you more… I am still in daze (after the win against Australia).”
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)
