Women's WT20: Hail Narendra Hirwani

Radha Yadav bowls to a Sri Lankan batswoman during the ICC T20 World Cup match in Melbourne on Saturday. Pic/ AFP

Spinner Radha Yadav on Saturday hailed the impact of bowling coach Narendra Hirwani after claiming a career-best 4-23 in India's seven-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the Women's T20 World Cup here. India's spinners have been the talk of the tournament so far in Australia and Yadav was the latest to shine, laying the foundation for their win with a four-wicket haul to restrict Sri Lanka to 113 for nine. But the left-arm spinner, who was not in the starting XI when Poonam Yadav spun a web around Australia in their opener, was reluctant to take credit and heaped praise on former India leg-spinner Hirwari for getting her back to her best.

"Narendra has been with us since the West Indies tour last year in November. He has definitely worked a lot on my bowling," Yadav said.

Clear mindset

"My mindset often gets jumbled and I start over-thinking about a lot of things, especially my action and my deliveries in general, but he [Hirwani] has supported me a lot by freeing my mind up and clearing the clutter." India head into the semi-final of the tournament with a 100 per cent win record and Yadav is hoping for a better show in the coming days. "We were working hard for this, so I'm really happy that we have won four consecutive matches. I'm feeling good in general now and I want to do even better in the semi-finals."

After Yadav flummoxed the Sri Lankan batters with her match-winning bowling performance, Shafali Verma showed her class again by hitting a 34-ball 47. Kaur and opener Smriti Mandhana again squandered their good starts, departing for 15 and 17, respectively. Mandhana mistimed the ball to Kavisha Dilhari in the fifth over while the skipper departed trying to clear the long on fielder in the 10th over.

Narendra Hirwani

For Sri Lanka, Udeshika Prabodhani (1-13) and Shashikala Siriwardene (1-42)picked up a wicket each, before the duo of Jemimah Rodrigues (15) and Deepti Sharma (15) sealed the victory. Earlier, Sri Lanka were dealt a blow when opener Umesha Thimashini (2) tried to go for a big shot off a Deepti delivery, only to be caught by Rajeshwari Gayakwad in the third over.

SL rue dropped catches

Sri Lanka were left to rue their dropped catches - two off Shafali's blade. Dilhari spilled one at extra cover before Sathya Sandeepani also failed to hold on to an offering from Shafali. "We dropped Sophie Devine twice, then we dropped Rachael Haynes twice and now Shafali Verma. Catches win matches, and we have to be take them," Chamari Atapattu said.

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