Women's Tri-Series: No blame game in the team, says Mumbai's Jemimah Rodrigues

India's Jemimah drives during the Women's Tri-Series v Oz at the Brabourne Stadium yesterday. Pics/Suresh Karkera

After experiencing the highs in the 2017 World Cup and the limited overs tour to South Africa last month, the Indian women's team have got some sort of a reality check with back-to-back series defeats against superior teams. While India were crushed in the ODI series against Australia recently in Baroda, the Women in Blue were beaten comprehensively in the three T20 matches in the ongoing Women's T20 Triangular series at the Brabourne Stadium.

Yesterday, Australia avenged their World Cup exit after registering a 36-run win to put India out of contention for a spot in the T20 tri-series final. Chasing Australia's 186-5 in 20 overs, Mumbai teenager Jemimah Rodrigues, 17, kept India's hopes alive, slamming her maiden half-century - the youngest Indian to do so.

Megan Schutt in action yesterday

However, she lost her wicket immediately to end the 54-run fourth wicket partnership with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (33). The hosts never really recovered thereafter and could manage only 150-5 in their 20 overs.

Rodrigues said everyone in the team is taking the responsibility. "The best part of our team is that we are together and there is no blame game going on because of these consecutive losses. Each one is taking their responsibility. I believe in our team and the support staff who keep pushing us," Rodrigues said.

The hosts' chase turned out worse than expected, thanks to Aussie pacer Megan Schutt's hat-trick to dismiss Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj (both scored half-centuries in the last match against England) and Deepti Sharma put India in a spot of bother at 26-3 after 4.1 overs. Schutt's hat-trick came in the space of two overs and that's why the celebration was quite sedate. "I wasn't even aware that I was on a hat-trick. It's quite nice to be getting wickets out here. It's not a very bowler-friendly track," Scutt said.