Women's WT20 | Bowlers were brilliant but batters needs to step up, feels Diana Edulji

Former captain Diana Edulji has praised the Indian bowling line up after they managed to stun defending champions Australia in the Women's T20 World Cup opener at Sydney. But the 64-year-old suggested that the batters must improve and find a way to put a decent total on the board.

The Indian Women batsmen disappointed once again, scampering their way to 132 after being asked to bat. However the bowling attack, led by leg-spinner Poonam Yadav (4/19 in four overs), helped the team fashion a resounding 17-run victory over the four-time champions.

"The bowling was brilliant but the batters need to come to the party too. The middle-order was found wanting again. Harmanpreet Kaur has not been consistent and today Jemimah Rodrigues' strike-rate put pressure on the non-striker,” Edulji told PTI.

The score was exactly 100 with 24 deliveries left when Veda Krishnamurthy marched towards the wicket to provide the late flourish to the innings but the 27-year-old failed to hit a single boundary, scoring just 9 runs in her 11-ball stay at the wicket. The former captain questioned the selection of Veda Krishnamurthy and vouched for sixteen-year-old Richa Ghosh, who made her India debut in the tri-series final, to be included in the playing XI.

"I don't know how Veda is in the playing eleven. You played the young girl (Richa) in the final (17 off 23), the management should give her more chances," she added.