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ICC WOMEN'S WORLD T20

November 8, 2018

Harmanpreet Kaur

Georgetown, Guyana

Q. A little bit of winning momentum with the team, what's the feeling like, what's different?
HARMANPREET KAUR: It's good for us because we're working on a few things and getting the result - I think it's a positive sign for us. And that's what we were trying in the practise games. And I think the team is doing really well and I'm really happy the way we are playing now.

Q. Personally, you had a really good game yesterday. What were your takeaways from the conditions, and what will you be sharing with the other batters?
HARMANPREET KAUR: Well, it was a very good batting track. And I think if you have this type of pitch, you just need to spend some time, and initially you just need to take the strike and then you can go for your own shots. And that's what I was doing. And that's what I passed this message to my batters, because I know it's a short format.

Usually our batters like to go for big shots initially, and I think -- I know it's a short format and we're looking for big shots, but sometimes you need to roll one over and try to spend some time on the wicket. Once you feel you are settled, then you can go for your shots. That's what I just told my team batters.

Q. The pitch was expected to do more yesterday. But it was quite bouncy and you seem to have no problem with it at all. But then your spinners found some perches, they seemed to struggle early on with their lengths. But once they found where to pitch the ball they really did well. Do you think the India team, with lots of spinners, got an advantage in Guyana?
HARMANPREET KAUR: You're right. Even we thought we will get a little bit of help when we are bowling. But when we were batting, it was, it was looking very good to bat on. But I think on these wickets it's good to bat on first because the first innings, if you're batting, then we're able to get decent totals and then later on we can bowl according to the plan. I think in the second innings the bowlers can get a little bit of help and that's what we got in the last game.

Q. The World Cup last year was -- your success there made a really big difference, players got bonuses, it was on nine different languages in India. Do you get the sense that success in this tournament can have a similar effect back at home?
HARMANPREET KAUR: Well, of course because when you have a good team and they are doing well now and I think these things will -- I think it's part of the game and it's part of the conditions we have and all the different languages.

I think it's good and we are enjoying it, and I think we are looking forward, like, the way we played in the last World Cup we're hoping that we're able to set decent tone right now. And I think that the way we are playing from the last couple of months we will do well.

Q. In the recent FICA survey about women's playing conditions around the world, even after what came in the World Cup, India and England judged as semi-professional, and Australia having the only full professional setup in the world, how close is India to pushing to be equal to Australia in that fully professional domestic and international setup?
HARMANPREET KAUR: Well, after the World Cup, after last year, the World Cup, we got a really good setup in India. I think our domestic level improved a lot now. We're getting more number of games. And I think it's only about your performance. If you do well and then only people like to watch you.

And I think it depends on us like how we're playing, and I think we improved our cricket. And that's the reason we're getting a lot of things right now, and I think that goes to the other teams also. And if you do well, you will definitely get a good setup in domestic cricket and at the international level as well.

Q. But is T20 cricket -- you came on stack against Bangladesh recently -- is T20 the kind of format that the poorest or the team that has the least resources can still surprise teams that have a lot more resources?
HARMANPREET KAUR: Yes, definitely. It's a short form of the game. And you cannot say this team is better and this team is a bit, like, you can win easily on these teams. But everything is equally in short format. And it only depends on how you are going on that particular day. And I think you cannot take any team easier.

I think the only thing is in short format you always have to be more focused and more aware and always on your toes and then only can you win the game.

Q. What have you learned about yourself as a captain since taking on the captaincy? What have you learned about yourself?
HARMANPREET KAUR: Well, I learned a lot now because earlier I was always aggressive on the field and I have learned like how I can stay calm. Because now it's not just about how I am playing for my team. Now it's about, like, how can I take the performance from other players also. So sometimes if things didn't work according to me I have to think about the other players also.

So I think I feel now I'm more calm on the ground and I can think how I can get performance from the other players also.

Q. What news on Pooja Vastrakar's injury?
HARMANPREET KAUR: I think we will get to know about this evening only, because we are, our physician is looking for that and hopefully we'll get a positive that she's able to play.

Q. It's a funny question, but has the BCCI offered you any big reward if you win the competition?
HARMANPREET KAUR: Well, it only depends how we are doing, and still we don't know anything about it. But we are here for good cricket. And I hope we only focus on which we need to focus. And I think we're here to play good cricket. And as a team I focus on that only.

Q. Your bowling attack, keeping aside Poonam, is quite young, and we've seen you working after the bowlers a lot giving them advice telling them how to bowl. Can you explain a little bit about not just as a captain but as a senior bowler you've had to hold their hand in this?
HARMANPREET KAUR: Well, our bowling is very dependent on spinning tracks, and they're quite young except Poonam. Poonam has played a lot of T20 matches but others are quite young. And I think they're doing really well. The only thing is sometimes when you have a young player you need to support them and back up whatever they're doing on the field and that's what I'm trying to do. And I think they're doing really well right now and that's what I'm expecting from them.

And there is no pressure on them. And I think I know T20, it's like the short format. And it's more over batter favour than bowler. And whether they're getting success or not as a captain, I just always try to back up them. So I know like we have to accept that as a bowling unit, sometimes the bowler will attack us, but how we come back and how we perform in the next, overall next game, that's more important. And that's what as a captain I just told them, like, just stick to your plan. Because if you are bowling according to our plan and don't get success, that is like something we have to look over and not you.

And I think they are trusting whatever me, myself and our coach is telling them. I think if we stick to that, I think that's what the bowlers are doing right now.

Q. In terms of setting fields, do you take the initiative, or do you look to the bowlers to tell you what they want?
HARMANPREET KAUR: Well, it depends. We have a few bowlers, they like to leave themselves on the ground. And we have a few bowlers that like to bowl according to what I'm setting for them. So it depends who is bowling. And accordingly we set a field.

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