Victory has brought a lot of confidence to all of us: Sneh

Sneh Rana is gritty. The off-spinning all-rounder may not have hit headlines after India stunned Australia by 102 runs in the second ODI at New Chandigarh, but she played her part. She usually does.

The 31-year-old’s 18-ball 24, after coming in at No. 9, ensured India posted its highest-ever ODI total (292) against Australia. And then, with the ball, she removed Beth Mooney, one of the mainstays of the Australian batting.

Ahead of the deciding ODI at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Sneh said the win was a big boost to the team’s confidence: “I think it was crucial for us to win that second ODI,” she said. “It brought a lot of confidence to all of us. Heading into the World Cup, it definitely will give us that confidence.”

Sneh said as an all-rounder she had to live up to the expectations of the team and herself. “I am working a lot on my batting, especially on big shots,” she said. “There could be situations when you need to hit the ball out of the park and I am working on that.”

Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner, who knows a thing or two about the big hits, admitted her team was outplayed by India. “More than a wake-up call, but it showed the powerhouse that India are and the strengths they possess” she said.

“We didn’t play our best cricket. We got outplayed in all facets of the game, but there are plenty of lessons to take into the next game.”

She praised the young Indian pacer Kranti Goud, who had impressed in the second ODI. “I have faced her a couple of times in the WPL,” Gardner said. “It is fantastic to see India’s depth.”