'Impact player' Amanjot earns praise for all-round show

MUMBAI: India fielding coach Munish Bali has described Amanjot Kaur as an 'impact player' after her all-round heroics helped the hosts register a consolation win in the third and final women's T20I against England here.

India defeated England by five wickets in the third match after losing the first two T20Is comprehensively in the three-match series.

On Sunday, Amanjot not only hit the winning runs for India but also produced impactful performances throughout the course of the game as she returned 2 for 25 in her three overs and also took a splendid catch.

India were in a tricky situation after a couple of quick wickets fell and 11 runs were required to win in the last two overs.

Amanjot hit 13 of just four balls, including three boundaries, to finish the game with six balls to spare.

"She's an impact player, if you see she bowled the fourth over in the powerplay and bowled very well,” Bali told the media after the conclusion of the series.

"She fielded very well. She bowled for 3-4 overs yesterday (on Saturday during second T20I) and made an immediate impact with a brilliant catch. When we were chasing today (on Sunday), 12 off 12 balls, the first ball she (faced was) whipped through the covers."

India looked shoddy on the field in the first game and Bali said it was difficult for the players to adjust to playing under lights which led to some glaring errors but they improved as the series progressed.

"We played a day-night game after almost six to seven months. The last game that the girls had played was in WPL after that they have not played in the night time,” he said.

"It is always very difficult as a team when you are playing after 6-7 months but we started practising under lights that is why the results are coming."

England coach Jon Lewis impressed with young Ishaque and Shreyanka

England head coach Jon Lewis, who also holds a similar responsibility with Women's Premier League side UP Warriorz, was impressed with the fact that India chose to go with young players in the series such as Shreyanka Patil and Saika Ishaque.

"She (Ishaque) obviously had a really good WPL and it was not a surprise to me that she has been selected for India. She has got great control," Lewis said.

"I actually really like, Shreyanka Patil. She is really smart. She uses angles, she turns the ball. She looks a real prospect to me and obviously we played against RCB for UP and yeah, I was really impressed.

"She looks a really good cricketer. She fields well and she moves well and she can hold the bat. She is a real talent."

Lewis said England want to play an ‘aggressive’ brand of cricket as the two teams now move to Navi Mumbai for their one-off Test to be played at the DY Patil from December 14-17.

"We want to play aggressive cricket, but we want to play smart cricket as well. Putting bowlers under pressure and absorbing pressure is all part of Test cricket, so the way we bat, we will very much be looking to put the opposition bowlers under pressure," he added.