India’s captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, found herself at the center of a heated fan debate after a tense defeat against Australia in the Women’s T20 World Cup, reminiscent of MS Dhoni’s infamous knock during the 2019 World Cup semifinal. As India chased a target of 152 in Sharjah on Sunday, Kaur’s performance sparked comparisons to Dhoni’s run-chase against New Zealand, which had also ended in heartbreak.
India’s Struggles in the Middle Overs
Shafali Verma provided a brisk start to India’s chase before being dismissed by Ashleigh Gardner. From there, India’s top order struggled to handle Australia’s disciplined bowling attack, especially the slower deliveries, which built pressure through dot balls. Key batters like Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues failed to find boundaries and were dismissed during the middle overs, leaving Kaur to anchor the innings.
Despite her own struggles, Harmanpreet managed to push the chase deeper into the game, finding some support in Deepti Sharma. The two combined for a critical fifty-run partnership, giving India a glimmer of hope. Harmanpreet reached her half-century during this phase, keeping India in the contest.
Turning Point and Late Collapse
Just as it seemed the game was shifting in India’s favor, Kaur’s dismissal shifted momentum back to Australia. India’s lower order crumbled under pressure, and although Harmanpreet struck a few boundaries late in the game—including consecutive fours off Gardner and another off Sophie Molineux—the equation came down to 14 runs needed off the final over.
In the crucial last moments, Harmanpreet’s decision-making faltered. She missed the opportunity to retain strike for most of the final over, resulting in India managing only four runs while losing three wickets. They ultimately fell short, posting 142/9 at the end of their chase.
Comparison to MS Dhoni’s 2019 World Cup Knock
The way Harmanpreet anchored the innings but faltered at the end drew immediate parallels to MS Dhoni’s performance in India’s 2019 World Cup semifinal loss to New Zealand. In that match, Dhoni took the game deep while struggling to accelerate, before being run out by Martin Guptill, which effectively ended India’s hopes.
This comparison sparked an intense debate on social media, with Dhoni’s supporters dismissing any similarities between the two events. They defended Dhoni’s approach, emphasizing the context and pressures of his situation, while critics pointed to the same strategy of taking the game deep without accelerating at key moments.
Harmanpreet’s Take on the Loss
In the post-match presentation, Harmanpreet reflected on the key differences between the two teams. She noted that Australia’s depth, particularly their reliance on multiple all-rounders, made a significant impact.
“I think their entire team contributes. They don’t depend on just one or two players; they have a lot of all-rounders who chip in. We had planned well and were competitive, but they didn’t give away easy runs and made things difficult for us. They are an experienced side,” Harmanpreet stated.
Ultimately, while India came close, their lack of finishing power and failure to seize key moments led to a familiar ending in a crucial game against a well-rounded Australian side.
