Harmanpreet Kaur accused of disrespecting Bangladesh captain, players in post-match ceremony; Smriti Mandhana hits back
India women’s team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana did an excellent job in keeping her calm and holding composure during the press conference after the thrilling tie in the third ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur. Mandhana was bombarded with questions on India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her behaviour during the match and also her fiery comments on the umpiring standards during the series. Harmanpreet Kaur smashed the stumps down with her bat after being given out during India’s chase in the series decider. The India captain was clearly unhappy with the decision and after smashing the stumps, she was also seen pointing fingers at the umpire ad saying something.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur in the post-match presentation
Mandhana agreed that it was perhaps not the best thing to do keeping the spirit of the game in mind but also added that Harmanpreet’s act was done in the “heat of the moment”.
“Both teams played a very good brand of cricket. What happened in the middle is part and parcel of the game. We’ve seen these incidents so much when we see men’s cricket so I’m sure you know something like this happening in women’s cricket (is not unusual). When you want to play for India, you always want to win and in the heat of the moment, she wasn’t really happy with the decision given. She was given out, she felt she wasn’t so that is why that reaction came out.
“Knowing Harman as a person, knowing how much she wants to win (it can happen) but from the spirit of the game, I wouldn’t say it is acceptable. But when you really want to win for India, these things happen,” Mandhana said in the post-match presentation after the 3rd ODI which ended in a tie after India’s lower order collapsed while chasing 225.
The reporters also grilled Mandhana over Hamanpreet’s comments in the post-match presentation. The India captain lashed out at the on-field umpires, Muhammad Kamruzzaman and Tanvir Ahmed — both locals –, terming their umpiring as “pathetic”.
Harmanpreet said, “They (Bangladesh) batted really well, batted according to the situation. They were taking those singles which were very crucial. In between, we leaked a few runs but we controlled the game very well when we were batting, but as I mentioned earlier, some pathetic umpiring was done.
“We are really disappointed about some decisions given by the umpires,” said Harmanpreet.
Harmanpreet Kaur accused of disrespecting Bangladesh captain and players in post-match presentation
The Bangladesh media also accused Harmanpreet Kaur of disrespecting Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty before posing for the group photographs. Reports circulated in the Bangladesh media that before posing for the team photo after the post-match presentation, Harmanpreet asked the organisers to call the umpires for the photo as they were the reasons for the shared trophy.
Mandhana defended her captain by saying that Harmanpreet did not say anything to the Bangladesh captain.
“I don’t think (she said this). You have stated it. I don’t think she said anything towards the Bangladesh captain. From whatever I heard, think talked a bit about umpiring. I don’t think she said anything about them (the Bangladesh players).
“We should not talk about things which did not happen during the match. In the post-match things were not camera, that is something which happened after the post-match presentation, so let’s not talk about it,” Mandhana added.
Harmanpreet’s action and her comments are likely to attract sanctions from the ICC. “We are no one to decide on a ban or anything. There’s an ICC panel to decide on those things.”
India were bowled out for 225 in 49.3 overs after Bangladesh posted their highest total in the 50-over format against India, scoring 225/4 batting first with Fargana Hoque (107) recording the first-ever ODI century for her country.
India opener Smriti Mandhana scored 59 at the top while middle-order batter Harleen Deol made 77, but India collapsed from 191 for four to 225 all out, losing the last six wickets for a mere 34 runs and had to settle for a tied three-match ODI series 1-1.
