Harmanpreet Kaur’s off-spin creates buzz and more

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur (right) celebrates Australia’s Tahlia McGrath’s wicket with her teammates at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. Pic/PTI

There was excitement at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday from the time Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur came on to bowl after 71 overs in the Australian second innings and after 75 minutes in the day's final session.

With Australia having wiped out the first innings deficit, Kaur brought herself on for her off-spin. She immediately trapped Tahlia McGrath with her first ball, the appeal upheld by umpire Anil Chaudhary. However, DRS by Australia revealed the ball was missing the wickets. Four deliveries later, Kaur dismissed McGrath, her forward defence taking the inside edge with the ball rolling on to the stumps, to be bowled.

With Australia quietly extending the lead, the temperamental Kaur prolonged her spell. In her fifth over, she struck again, trapping her opposite number Alyssa Healy leg before wicket, Chaudhary getting it right this time.

However, this over was not without drama. In only the previous delivery, Kaur appealed for an Obstructing the Field decision against Healy.As things unfolded, Healy defended the third delivery of the 80th over. The ball rolled back to the bowler Kaur, who hurled it to wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia. But, the ball was heading towards Healy, who brought her bat to protect herself from getting struck. In doing so, the ball deflected to the third man boundary.

Chaudhary, in consultation with his on-field partner N Janani, signalled four overthrows. It was well within the rules. "The ball was still in play and it was an instinctive reaction by the batter. It has to be construed as something similar when the ball deflects after hitting the stumps and the batters go for runs as overthrows. The logic is the same," a BCCI umpire told mid-day.

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Meanwhile, Ellyse Perry said: "I missed it. I was in the physio's room. It is all in a day's play."

India all-rounder Deepti Sharma said: "It happened in the heat of the moment. Our focus was to take wickets and how to bowl dot balls to put pressure on the Aussies. I will not talk much about it."

However, Deepti added: "Whenever Harry di [Kaur] bowls, she takes wickets. She is always ready to bowl and is a magical bowler. We got momentum after she took the wicket in her first over."

Kaur finished with 2 for 23 in a nine-over single spell.