Harmanpreet Kaur believes that her team will make a comeback.

A visibly upset India captain Harmanpreet Kaur acknowledged that there is significant room for improvement ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, and her team will not easily forget the eight-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup final on Sunday.

India posted a solid score of 165 for 6, but Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu (62) and Harshitha Samarawickrama (69 not out) were dominant against the Indian bowlers, wrapping up the match in 18.4 overs. The women's T20 World Cup is set to take place in Bangladesh later this October.

Harmanpreet reflected on the game at the post-match presentation, stating, “We need to make improvements in several areas. We will definitely work hard and remember this day. Sri Lanka has been playing excellent cricket for a long time and they maintained that form throughout this tournament.” She conceded that her team’s bowling strategy didn’t execute as planned, with few breakthroughs achieved.

“We performed well throughout the tournament, but today we made several mistakes that cost us,” she continued. “We had a decent total and aimed for breakthroughs during the powerplay, but it didn’t go as planned, and Sri Lanka batted exceptionally well.”

Despite the loss, Harmanpreet emphasized the team's overall strong performance over the past year and their intent to build on it. She also expressed appreciation for the support of the Sri Lankan crowd, stating, “We have never seen such a large audience; special thanks to the Sri Lankan fans who came to support the game.”

Chamari Athapaththu’s pivotal innings was praised for anchoring the chase effectively, highlighting the significance of the victory for both the team and Sri Lanka as a whole. Athapaththu remarked, “This win is not only significant for the team but also for Sri Lanka as it serves to inspire the next generation.”

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