Women’s T20 World Cup: Harmanpreet could have covered an extra two metres if she genuinely put in the effort, says Alyssa Healy

Cape Town: Australia wicketkeeper-batter Alyssa Healy had a different take on Harmanpreet Kaur’s unlucky run out in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup semifinal, saying the India captain could have been inside the crease by an extra two metres if she had made ‘genuine’ effort.

Harmanpreet had kept India in the hunt with a 34-ball 52 in chasing down 173 against Australia on February 23. India needed 41 in 33 balls with six wickets in hand when Harmanpreet swept off leg-spinner Georgia Wareham.

But Ashleigh Gardner threw the ball back from deep mid-wicket to Alyssa, and Harmanpreet, who played the match after two days of fever and a visit to the hospital, did not make a dash for the crease. She was about to reach the crease when the bat got stuck in the ground, and Healy whipped the bails off, catching the Indian short of the crease.

On seeing the decision, Harmanpreet was left fuming and threw her bat 10 metres away in anger. That became the turning point of the match as Australia won by five runs to proceed to the final, where they will face South Africa on Sunday.

After the match ended, Harmanpreet called her dismissal unlucky, but Alyssa had the opposite opinion.

“Harmanpreet can say all she likes that it was so unlucky. But at the end of the day she cruised back and probably could have (gone) past the crease — you know, an extra two metres if she genuinely put in the effort. So we will take it.”

“You could say you were unlucky all your life, but it’s generally about the effort at that moment in time, and that’s something we speak about in the field in particular, in putting in that effort and putting in that energy better than the opposition’s and that’s how you win big tournaments. And I think that comes back to running between wickets as well, which we have been doing quite well,” Alyssa was quoted as saying by ABC Sport.

Harmanpreet’s dismissal also earned Alyssa a text from former Australia captain Belinda Clark after the game ended.

“It’s kind of funny actually. Belinda Clarke messaged me and said, ‘well done for taking the bails’. And it’s quite an interesting one because I actually don’t take the bails a lot in that sort of scenario. I think it’s a waste of time and I’ve got to put them back on.”

“So, it’s annoying. But for some reason, I felt the need to take the bails off and it was like a bizarre moment where I looked at the umpire and said, ‘I think that’s out’. And I think Shooter (Megan Schutt) at the point was like. ‘I also think that it’s out’.”

–IANS