INDIA'S NO 3 QUANDARY

With Deol, Rawal not proactive strike rotaters, Kaur & Co will have to address the stagnation that happens especially vs stronger opponents

- GOMESH S @Colombo

HARLEEN Deol was taking guard against Pakistan captain Fatima Sana in the 11th over of India’s innings at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday. India had lost Smriti Mandhana early to Sana, but were going at a steady run rate. The scoreboard, after ten overs, read 54/1 with Deol and Pratika Rawal in the middle.

Batting on five from four, Deol played the entire over without getting to the non-striker’s end. There was a play and miss, a couple of leaves, a running between wickets confusion with Rawal and an inside edge which bounced on its way to Sidra Nawaz behind the wickets. It was a maiden over in the end. Over the next overs, Deol and Rawal added just three runs before the former tried to break the shackles with a six off Rameen Shamim. Deol had played nine dots and a single before eventually getting that boundary. The five balls after the six were also dots, and it came off Deol’s bat. This continued at the other end as well before Rawal got out, trying to slash Sadia Iqbal. A 19-run stand that came off 35 balls — off which 26 were dots. The run rate by then had dropped to 4.5 runs per over. With Harmanpreet Kaur, who came in next, Deol added 39 off 59; this time, 34 dots in the partnership. And with Jemimah Rodrigues, who pushed Deol for more strike rotation, there were 27 dots in the 45-run stand that came off 52 balls. In the end, Deol, who tried to break free, fell for 46 runs from 65 balls — a knock that had 37 dot balls.