Australia vs India: Smriti Mandhana plays down no-ball controversy in india’s last-over heartbreak in 2nd ODI

India’s star opener Smriti Mandhana played down the controversy surrounding the no-ball in the team’s final-over heartbreak against Australia in the 2nd ODI of a 3-match series in Mackay on Friday.

With 3 needed from 1 ball, Australia’s Nicola Carey hit a full-toss from Jhulan Goswami straight into the hands of the mid-wicket fielder. Even as the umpires were preparing to check for a no-ball, India started celebrating, believing they had ended Australia’s 25-match winning run in ODis that dates back to October 2017.India entrusted their senior-most bowler Jhulan Goswami to defend 8 runs but the team was not able to keep its nerves. The full-toss was called a no-ball and Carey hit the winning runs in the final legal delivery of the match on Friday.”We have not really seen the ball yet as a team. We were out there on the field, so it is very hard to judge if it was a waist-high no-ball or not. It is too early for us to call, we have to see the ball and we will have a look at it,” Mandhana said.”When these things go in your favour, you are really happy but would not add up to the controversy. I have seriously not looked at the ball yet,” Mandhana said during the post-match media interaction.The left-handed opener, who made a 94-ball 86 to help India post 274 for 7 in 50 overs, said she was happy to be back among the runs.”I thought about where I need to improve, the support staff and everyone were behind me. So happy to get some runs under my belt, especially in the first innings. Getting out on 86 did hurt. I would have felt better if I had continued,” the southpaw, who had been struggling for form of late, said after the knock.Mandhana said the bowlers did very well and it was a perfect game for India except the last 20 overs.”The pacers were really good. It was a perfect game for us until the last 20 overs. Our pacers used the bouncers really well. They will definitely be looking forward to the pink ball (Test), but our eyes are on the third ODI,” she added.’It was a clear no-ball’Meanwhile, Mooney (125 not out), who steered the Aussies home and helped the host extend the winning streak to 26 ODI matches, said “from 4 for 40, it is pretty remarkable we came back from that to win the game.”About the no-ball off the final delivery for height, she said, “I have been talking to some people on the sideline, they were saying it was a clear no-ball. I wasn’t sure, it was a bit of a tight call in the end.”Mooney said she hoped to get better and be in the middle and help the team win.She also credited the manner in which the Indian bowlers Jhulan Goswami and Meghana Singh bowled in the early part of the innings.”A lot of credit has to go to the way India bowled. Jhulan and Meghana, they certainly troubled some of the best players in the world. It was a hard battle out there trying to fight my ego. Fortunately, I was able to hang on till the end and see the team over the line,” she added. (With PTI Inputs)