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Mumbai, Jan 1 (PTI) Ace off-spinner Deepti Sharma on Monday backed India Women to end Australia’s winning streak against them at home ‘as soon as possible’ after losing nine consecutive ODIs including two games in the ongoing series.
Australia clinched a narrow three-run win in the second ODI here at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
The last time India beat the Aussies at home was at Chennai on February 23, 2007.
“Look, winning and losing is a part of the game — but we have improved as a team — be it as a bowling unit or batting. We will try to break their winning streak as soon as possible,” Deepti told the media here before India’s training session.
“There have been a lot of improvements. Earlier, whenever we would play against Australia the games never used to go that close. This is one positive (from the last match) that we are able to take it till the end,” she added.
Deepti said the team will look to focus on the positives drawn from the second game across departments.
“We did well as a bowling unit, the spinners and the pacers to have restricted them. At the same time the batters did well, their partnerships in between were good,” she said.
Deepti praised debutant Shreyanka Patil (1/43) and Richa Ghosh (96 off 117 balls) for their spirited performances in the second ODI.
“It is not easy to perform so well in your first match which Shreyanka did. Richa played fearless cricket which was enjoyable to watch,” she said.
Deepti, who led India’s bowling with a fine spell of five for 38 — her second fifer in career — credited her extended bowling sessions at nets for that effort.
“(If) I have to speak about my bowling, I have trained a lot. I have increased my bowling sessions and have also bowled in different phases such as with the new ball, or in the middle overs, or even how to bowl with the old ball in the death overs,” she said.
The senior player admitted she would look to improve her strike-rate. “Every team plays to win but some days you are able to pull it off and some days you are not,” Deepti said.
“We gave it a good fight, took it till the end of the game and now I am focusing on tomorrow’s match,” she added.
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