The India Women vs Bangladesh Women’s Decider ODI in the three-match series ended in controversy. While captain Harmanpreet Kaur decided to show her frustration on the field, star batter Smriti Mandhana spoke at length at the post-match press conference. She started addressing the possibility of a Super Over. She said, "We would love to play a Super Over and I don't think there was a question which was asked about Super Over to us. It was all decided. But we would've loved to play a Super Over. But yeah, I think, the kind of game that happened, I'm sure that it's good for women's cricket going forward."
She next addressed Harmanpreet Kaur’s antics. "What happened in the middle it's part and parcel of the game," Mandhana said. "We've seen these incidents so much in the past as well when we see men's cricket. I think it's just when you play for India, you want to win the match and it happens in the heat of the moment. But I think she wasn't really happy with the decision given. And she felt that she wasn't out. So that came about. But yeah, I just feel that it's just the heat of the moment and nothing much. Just knowing Harman as a person and knowing her how much she wants to win for India, I'm sure from the spirit of the game, I wouldn't say that it is (acceptable), but when you really want that W on the board for India, these things happen," she added.
‘We kind of expect a little better level of umpiring’ – Smriti Mandhana
She next targeted the level of officiating in the game. She said, "I think in any match, sometimes it happens that you are really not happy with the kind of (decisions), and especially when there's no DRS in a match, in a series of this kind," she pointed out. "We kind of expect a little better level. I would term it in a better level of umpiring in terms of some decisions because it was very evident, there was not even a second thought given when the ball was hitting the pad, or when our batters were batting. And there's not even one second thought given before the finger went up.
"But yeah, I think it's all part and parcel and we will take everything in our stride. It is trying to be a little positive about everything, and I'm sure that the Apex Council, Bangladesh Board, and Indian Board will definitely have more of a discussion on that and maybe we can have a neutral umpiring system from next time so that we don't sit here having these discussions and maybe we can focus more on cricket and cricket-oriented questions."
Here's how fans reacted:
Ye pange hamesha Bangladesh ke sath hi hote hai, Under 19, Emerging, Mens, Womens.
— BG Shamki (@shamkhede) July 23, 2023
How they can target the Umpiring when 16 runs needed in 4 overs
— Professor (@itzzz_me_2) July 23, 2023
100% match fee fine loading for stating the Facts.
— CMA Monesh (@Cmamonesh) July 23, 2023
You know now why Shakib losses cool in BPL
— Prasunjha (@Prasunj90898109) July 23, 2023
— TZxKraken🇮🇳 (@TZxKRAKEN) July 23, 2023
But behavior of harmanpreet during photo session its was not good... She don't know how to respect opposition team players after the match
— अभिमन्यु (@Thetruth_222) July 23, 2023
Indian crying like babies just for a bilateral series match, imagine how many matches they've robbed through biased umpires in ICC tournaments
— Farhan (@AbeyJaYar) July 23, 2023
Nitin chutiye ko le jaty ban
— babarheimer 🇵🇰 (@babarheimer) July 23, 2023