India left-arm spinner Sree Charani has backed the team to bounce back strongly after their 26-run defeat to England in the second Women’s T20I in Bristol. The loss levelled the three-match series 1-1, setting up a decisive third game as both sides fine-tune preparations for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
The ongoing series is a key part of India’s build-up to the Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales, which begins on June 12. Charani admitted that India would have benefited from carrying a 2-0 lead, but insisted the team is focused on regrouping and responding in the series decider.
“I think every match is important for us to win, to get confidence or to get something out of the match. If we had won here, I think we were two wins, so it would have given us more confidence,” Charani said after the second T20I as quoted by PTI.
“I think now we have a good challenge ahead for us, so I think we’ll take it,” she added, reflecting the team’s mindset ahead of the final game in Taunton.
Despite the defeat, Charani was one of India’s standout performers with the ball, picking up three crucial wickets, including those of Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Amy Jones, and Heather Knight. Her spell briefly pulled India back into the contest before England regained control in the latter stages of the innings.
Charani ended the game with figures of 3/25 in her four overs by sticking to her strengths and not over-complicating her approach in English conditions.
“I am just trying to bowl to my strength, that’s it, not much, I am not trying anything, just sequence bowling. I think turning the ball is my key strength.”
Her disciplined spell once again underlined India’s growing reliance on young spin options as they look to build a balanced attack ahead of a major global tournament.
UP NEXT: SERIES DECIDER
With the series now poised at 1-1, India will head into the third and final T20I in Taunton on Tuesday aiming to seal a morale-boosting series win. The match is expected to serve as a crucial test of temperament, especially for a relatively young squad adjusting to English conditions.
Following the series decider, India will play two warm-up fixtures in Cardiff on June 8 and 10 before heading into the T20 World Cup campaign opener against Pakistan on June 14. The management is expected to use this period to finalise combinations and assess bench strength, particularly in the bowling department.
For Charani and the rest of the squad, the focus remains on quick adaptation and consistency. While the defeat in the second T20I exposed areas for improvement, India will take confidence from individual performances as they aim to peak at the right time on the world stage.
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