Indian women’s team started their ICC World Twenty20 campaign as firm favourites. And they wore the tag with élan and style by thrashing Bangladesh in the opening game of the tournament. The pillar of India’s comprehensive 72-run victory in Bengaluru was laid by their batting order. India’s 163 for 5 was their highest total in T20Is, and it was a result of the combined strength of their top-five. One of them was middle-order batter, Harmanpreet Kaur, who came in to bat at No.4 after the loss of two quick wickets. She not only weathered the storm but also propelled the pace of India’s innings with a 29-ball innings of 40 runs. And she walked away with the player of the match award in India’s opening game. Harmanpreet spoke to BCCI.TV after the match about the team’s strengthened batting order and how she planned her innings which consisted of partnerships with Mithali Raj (42) and Veda Krishnamurthy (36 not-out). A perfect way to set the ball rolling on the World Twenty20?

For a long time we were looking for such a total. I am very happy with our team with the way we are performing. This is a good start for us. Whatever we had planned, we executed very well. Now we will look at every game individually because each of them will be important for us. I hope this momentum and form will be with us right through the tournament. Is this India’s most settled batting order in a long time?

Yes, for a long time we were searching for an opening batter. Now we have Vani (VR Vanitha) opening with Mithali and Smriti (Mandhana) at one down. I am very happy with that because as a senior batter there is less pressure on me now. I hope they continue with their form. You came to bat at a crucial time. After the 62-run opening stand between Mithali and Vanitha, the team lost two quick wickets. What was your plan?

It is bound to happen in a game where you get a good start and then lose a couple of wickets. But as the new batter, you just need to go with the flow. If you think about those wickets you will only put more pressure on yourself and the team. When I went in to bat my plan for simple – keep looking for boundaries and look to score 8-9 runs per over consistently. What did Mithali tell you when you went in to bat?

When I was batting with Mithali di, she was well settled. She just asked me to look for singles and settle down and that she would score the boundaries. That’s what I did for the initial period. By the time Veda joined me, I had got my eye in and she is also a big hitter of the ball. So, I knew that if the two of us played 20 overs, we would be able to post a big total.