India suffered a heart-breaking loss against Australia in the semi-final of the Women's T20 World Cup. Chasing a 173-run target, India were in a strong position when skipper Harmanpreet Kaur got run out. The match turned dramatically as Harmanpreet departed just 40 runs needed off 32 balls. Kaur batted superbly to make 52 before she hit a ball to deep midwicket and seemed set to complete a comfortable two runs only for her bat to jab into the turf just short of the crease. Kaur threw her bat angrily as she walked off. That dismissal pegged back India ultimately.
Veteran Australia bowler Megan Schutt has now reacted strongly to a comment by Harmanpreet.
"They were cruising and we were under the pump. Collectively our last five overs were crucial. Getting a couple of wickets in there but also providing pressure on all aspects, whether it's in the field, with the ball or even body language out there. Harman said our body language was down. I'll call bullshit on that. We're just calm. We don't panic, we don't take it out on each other if there's a misfield or a dropped catch. That's where we stand out as a team. We're a team first and we know getting angry about that isn't going to do about that. So it was a collective effort," Megan Schutt told Cricbuzz.
On an advice that she would give to the Indian team, Schutt said, "Stay calm. It was wrong of Harman to follow that after (reaction after being given out). It sets the wrong precedent for those coming after. I know she was calm after that and spoke to Deepti. But the damage was done already by then. Being able to compose yourself in that situation. Of course, you've to go through lots to figure that out. We've had our own losses. Yes, we win a lot, but we've had our own clutch moments that we've lost and learned from that."