In the second T20I match against , Zimbabwe’s skipper Josephine Nkomo has won the toss and elected to bat first at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur.
After winning the toss, Zimbabwe’s skipper Nkomo said, “[What are you looking to do?] We’re looking to have a bat. Last time we had a good start, and we’re hoping to carry it forward. [Need more runs through that middle order?] Yeah, definitely. So today the plan is just to try rotate the strike more and just turn those ones into twos, and I’m sure we’ll be good to go. [Can you replicate that performance?] Hopefully if we go through our process well, we should be able to replicate it. Of course it was a good feeling, and I think it gives our bowlers a bit of confidence. [Are you ready to bowl?] Definitely. [Any changes?] No”.
Meanwhile, said, “[What would you have done?] Well, looking to field first today as well. Of course, as a team, we’d like to have a convincing chase last time, so I’ll try and get better in this game. [Different pitch, same conditions, do you think?] It looks like it’s a little wicket what we played on the first match, again similar conditions. So yeah, bowlers did definitely a good job, but again we’ll look to be more disciplined with the ball. [19 for 4, you’d want to correct that today?] Yeah, for sure. I mean as a batting unit, we pride ourselves to have a really strong batting unit, which we definitely have. So we’ll definitely look to get better in that department. [Any changes?] No, we’ll be the same XI.
When asked if she is excited to win her first series as a captain, the 30-year-old cricketer said, “Well, I’m really looking forward to playing some good cricket. I think we don’t do anything in terms of thinking of what’s going to happen after the match. We want to come here out there, play the best cricket. So I’m just looking forward to that one”.
The “Women in Blue” are leading the ongoing three-match series 1-0 and will look to continue riding on the momentum. The visitors will be eager to secure a win in order to keep the series alive.
IND W vs ZIM W 2nd T20I: Confirmed playing XIs
India: Smriti Mandhana (C), Shafali Verma, Anushka Sharma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Niki Prasad, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), Arundhati Reddy, Sree Charani, Nandani Sharma, Kranti Gaud.
Zimbabwe: Kelis Ndhlovu, Beloved Biza, Modester Mupachikwa (WK), Sharna Mayers, Nyasha Gwanzura, Michelle Mavunga, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Josephine Nkomo (C), Francisca Chipare, Tendai Makusha, Olinder Chare.