• Source:JND
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Women's T20 World Cup: India medium-pacer Arundhati Reddy defended her team's ultra-defensive batting approach during a match against arch-rival Pakistan in the ongoing Women's T20 World Cup, stating that the team's focus will be on boosting the net run rate in the upcoming matches of the tournament.

The 27-year-old pacer starred for India as she returned with an impressive figure of 3/19 to help India restrict Pakistan to 105 for eight.

The Indian batters' overcautious approach nearly cost them the match before skipper Harmanpreet Kaur used her years of experience to bail the team out.

"We understand net run rate is important but also winning the game is all the more important for us. Like you said again net run rate will be in play especially in this group," Reddy said at the post-match press conference.

"Honestly today the wicket was playing a little slower. So obviously, the batters could not. The main thing was to finish the game. But we've discussed about it (net run rate). And we're looking forward to improve on it in the next few games."

Before the Pakistan game, India's NRR was -2.90 and after this win, it has marginally improved to -1.217, which is inferior compared to Pakistan's -0.555. The group comprises Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka besides India and Pakistan.

The pitch playing slow also did not help the batters' cause.

"I think we just went by what was happening like you said today the pitch was little on the slower side we knew that we couldn't start as freely as we could because it was a little on the slower side so the plan was for the openers to see it off and see how the wicket is playing and then, you know, finish accordingly."

Reddy gave Nida Dar a fiery send-off and it became one of the talking points of the match.

"It was just a very heat-of-the-moment thing. I didn't think much about it. Just came off so," the bowler said after the game.

Reddy, who made her T20I debut in 2018, has made her way back into the team with the aim to be the best in the world. The last time she played in a World Cup was in 2020 against Bangladesh.

"I know I'm much prepared now than what I was back in 2020 but again I've come into this setup with a lot of confidence and I know I can deliver for the team as and when it's required. I wanted to play for India again. Obviously like 3, 3-and-a-half years I was off and not a great patch for me personally but again you think of what needs to be done, what I need to be improving on. So for me the main focus was to be the best all-rounder in the world," she added.

"I just prepared a certain way that I know when I come in that I need to win games for India and I will be confident enough to do it and that was the mindset when I was not part of the team," she said