WI women’s coach Deitz is optimistic despite first ODI defeat | sport

VADODARA, India (CMC):

West Indies women’s head coach Shane Deitz says the team needs to quickly shake off the opening One Day International (ODI) loss to India and find the right tools to come up with a better plan to get things done in the second match today turn around.

The regional team was no match for India in the opening game and lost by 211 runs. Despite the heavy defeat, Deitz acknowledges room for improvement and is optimistic that the series will still reach a turning point.

“We still believe we can win the series 2-1. That’s what we have to do. We came back stronger from the first ball than in the opening game.”

The Australian made it clear that his team will have to perform much better on the field if they are to offer any form of competition to the home team.

“When you send a team in, you have to take all the catches and take the chances to put them under pressure. We couldn’t do that in the first game.”

While the team has worked hard on catching in practice, executing it in the game remains a hurdle. Deitz stressed the importance of improvement in all departments and cited the team’s six-month break from ODI cricket as a possible factor in the rustiness.

“We have had a lot of T20 cricket recently, including a strong performance in the T20 World Cup where we made it to the semi-finals. The move back to ODI cricket today clearly demonstrated the challenges it brings.”

Amid the challenges, young Zaida James emerged as a beacon of hope, taking an impressive five wickets for 45 runs. Deitz praised the emerging talent and emphasized the importance of self-confidence.

“Such performances can confirm what we all know: that she is a good player. It’s a great day for her, but a good performance doesn’t make a career. She has to continue to work hard and improve every day,” Deitz said.