Women's T20 World Cup: It's Time to Go! Harmanpreet Kaur must bid adieu to India captaincy

Harmanpreet Kaur may have slammed a half century but her own captaincy and the lack of intent from the rest of her teammates was appalling as India lost to Australia by nine runs and virtually crashed out of the ICC T20 World Cup in Sharjah on Sunday night.

If there is still hope for the women's team and the dwindling number of fans, Pakistan have to beat New Zealand on Monday, something which is not on the cards. This was a great opportunity for India to defeat the Aussies, what with their star skipper Alyssa Healy injured and yet showing up inside the stadium on crutches. This is the Aussie spirit and she would have been happy to see Tahlia McGrath lead the side to a close win.

For those who watched this match inside the stadium, the sea of blue was a clear sign of how much Sharjah has loved Indian cricket since the time of the CBFS series when off-shore cricket was introduced by the rich Sheikhs. The three venues in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah have hosted so much cricket in the last few years, for expats living there, cricket is a joy.

No, not for those who came to see India win. The overall show was lacklustre, bordering on poor cricket, as four wickets fell in the 20th over bowled by Annabel Sutherland. If this is what the Indians have learnt after playing so much cricket in the last two or three years, they should not call themselves professionals. The chase was very much on and Harmanpreet was unable to do much. The half-ton went waste and she knows the Indian campaign is as good as over.

What Harmanpreet Kaur said after the match was almost apologetic. "Whatever was in our hands, we were trying to do that. But that is something not in our control. If we get an opportunity to play another game that will be great," said Harmanpreet later. If she was hinting at Pakistan defeating New Zealand so that India can make it on net run rate, seems remote. The probability is low and the Kiwis will not play stupid cricket like the Indians.

For sure, the way India began on a sluggish wicket in Sharjah was good, as they got rid of two Aussie wickets at the top in the third over. Harmanpreet needed to have set an aggressive field and got rid of more wickets, but that did not happen. All the good work done early on by Renuka Singh went to waste as the other bowlers did not show the same intent. To have allowed the Aussies to score 151 was mindless because the chase, batting second was tough.

When you look at the Indian batting order, it is heavy at the top. But the performance certainly was not heavyweight, with the famed lineup of Shafali Verma, Smrithi Mandhana and Jemimah Rodriguez coming a cropper. Yet, what played out in the last over was bizarre, with four wickets going, as if the Indians had been psyched out. What was it, nerves or a lack of handling pressure the team knows the best! Harmanpreet cannot hide behind an unbeaten 54 as she is responsible for this defeat along with coach Amol Mazumdar.

Overall, the way India have played in this World Cup, they do not deserve to be in the semi-finals. The fielding has been nightmarish as well. Australia seem a permanent problem for India and this has been going on for years.

What will also be questioned now is how the Indian women's team cannot offer excuses. They get enough money, have a WPL - Women's Premier League - and opportunities are there in plenty. And if someone says the Indian men and women are both professionals, the performance suggests the contrary.

Harmanpreet Kaur has been given enough chances, she deserves to be removed. As regards coach Amol Mazumdar, he is clueless. Accountability must be there and Indian women's cricket needs to be rebuilt. Junk the dead wood.