Harmanpreet credits coach Sharma for marked improvement in fielding

Harmanpreet and Harleen Deol pulled off splendid catches in the rain-hit first T20I which England won by 18 runs here on Friday night.

In the penultimate over, Harmanpreet, fielding at long on, put an end to Nat Sciver's brilliant innings by diving to pouch the ball inches over the ground.

In just few hours, the 99-second video on the England and Wales Cricket Board’s Twitter handle attracted over two million views. Harleen Deol’s sensational catch at the long-off boundary to send back Amy Jones in the first T20I on Saturday at Northampton has left the cricket fraternity in awe.

Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who herself had taken a stunning catch earlier in the same over from Shikha Pandey, said a lot of work had gone into improving the team’s fielding.

OMG@imharleenDeol take a bow!! Calling it now the best we will see this series!! pic.twitter.com/O4Dwm4OYlU

— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) July 9, 2021

 

“Catches like those energise the team,” she said at a virtual press conference ahead of the second T20I to be played at Hove on Sunday.

“We have been working with our fielding coach Abhay Sharma for some time. The little things he tell us about help us improve a great deal. He has had individual sessions with us and he also knows the most ideal fielding positions for all of us.”

Two balls later, Harleen pulled off a spectacular catch on the long-off boundary to send Amy Jones back to the hut.

 

About the defeat on Friday night, she said India lost some quick wickets unfortunately. “Our approach was positive and we were trying to win the match and had the D/L method on our minds,” she said. “We will go out and try to win the remaining two matches. The wickets are really good to bat on.”

Harmanpreet said she was pleased to note that Shikha, easily the pick of the Indian bowlers at Northampton, was enjoying her bowling. “She is doing the right thing, without over-thinking,” she said.