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‘First 40 Minutes Were...': Harmanpreet Explains Decision To Declare The Innings Early

image-lq7qs8elHarmanpreet Kaur remained unbeaten on 44 in India's second innings. (The Hindu)

Indian Women’s team captain Harmanpreet Kaur explained the rationale behind the early declaration on day 3, even though she was batting at 44 with the chance to reach fifty. 

Her team secured a resounding victory over England by 347 runs in the one-off Test match in Navi Mumbai. Harman's team displayed dominance throughout the contest, achieving the biggest win in Women's Test cricket in terms of runs.

Harmanpreet explains the declaration decision

The decision to declare overnight at 186/6 left England Women with a target of 479 to chase in the remaining two days of the one-off Test. Harmanpreet, remaining unbeaten on 44, was expected to achieve her maiden half-century. However, the new-look Indian team management aimed to utilize the early morning pitch conditions to their advantage, hoping to make an impact with the ball in the fourth innings.

Explaining the declaration, Harman stated, "The first 40 minutes were very crucial, and we thought if we can get 3-4 wickets, that can help us win the game. I know I'll get more chances to score fifties and centuries in the future."


Several players contributed significantly to the home team’s win, with Deepti Sharma standing out for her outstanding all-round performance. Batting first, India posted an imposing total of 428, with debutant Shubha Satheesh (69), Jemimah Rodrigues (68), Yastika Bhatia (66), and Deepti (67) scoring half-centuries.

In response, England was dismissed for a mere 136, largely owing to Deepti's exceptional bowling display, where she claimed a fifer (5/7). Harmanpreet contributed 44 runs as India declared their second innings at 186/6.

The second day of action took an unusual turn as India, holding a lead of 292 runs, opted to bat again instead of enforcing a follow-on. Ending the day at 186/6 off 42 overs, India extended their lead to 478 runs with two days remaining. Facing a daunting target of 479, England could only manage 131, with Deepti adding four more wickets to her tally.

With this triumph, India secured the biggest win in Women's Test history, surpassing Sri Lanka's 1998 victory over Pakistan by 309 runs.