In an interview with ABC Sport, Alyssa Healy criticised Harmanpreet Kaur’s running between the wickets that resulted in the latter getting run out in the T20 World Cup semi-final in Newlands.
Kaur had kept India in the hunt with a 34-ball 52 after they were reduced to 28-3 in pursuit of 173 against Australia at Cape Town. India needed 41 in 33 balls with six wickets in hand when Georgia Wareham came to bowl to Kaur.
Kaur swept, but Ash Gardner cut off the boundary and threw the ball back to wicketkeeper Healy. Perhaps confident of making her ground – there was indeed time – Kaur did not make a dash for the crease. She was about to drag her bat in when it got stuck on the ground, and Healy whipped the bails off.
Kaur left, fuming and throwing her bat away. Australia won by five runs to proceed to the final.
While some, including Kaur herself, described the incident as unlucky, Healy voiced a different opinion on the dismissal. “Harmanpreet can say all she likes that it was so unlucky,” she told ABC Sport, “but at the end of the day she cruised back and probably could have past the crease – you know, an extra two metres if she genuinely put in the effort.
“You could say you were unlucky all your life, but it’s generally about effort at that moment in time, and that’s something we speak about in the field in particular, in putting in that effort and putting in that energy – and I think that comes back to running between wickets as well.”
Perhaps it is worth a mention Kaur had been ill the day before the semi-final, and was not a certainty for the match until very late.
Healy also admitted to not being a regular when it comes to taking the bails when the batter is likely to make it comfortably (“I think it’s a waste of time and I’ve got to put them back on”), but she made an exception this time (“for some reason I felt the need”).
After the match, the legendary Belinda Clark complimented Healy with a text message (“well done for taking the bails”).
Watch Alyssa Healy’s opinion on Harmanpreet Kaur’s run out here:
"Harmanpreet can say all she likes that it was so unlucky." 👀
For all young cricketers wanting to learn the value of staying alert on the field, listen to Alyssa Healy.
100% correct.👍 pic.twitter.com/Uu46ggwiQ6
— ABC SPORT (@abcsport) February 26, 2023
