ICC Women Cricket World Cup 2022: A different Pooja Vastrakar is seen in this tournament – Veda Krishnamurthy

Indian batter Veda Krishnamurthy has opined that a different version of Pooja Vastrakar is seen in the ongoing ICC Women Cricket World Cup 2022.

Vastrakar was the pick of the Indian bowlers in their second match of the tournament against New Zealand at Seddon Park, Hamilton on Thursday.

The right-arm medium pacer scalped four wickets and conceded 34 runs in her quota of 10 overs. In fact, she was on a hat-trick at one point and impressed with her death bowling.

However, her efforts went in vain as India lost by a massive margin of 62 runs against the home team. On the other hand, Pooja Vastrakar had delivered the goods in the team’s first match against arch-rivals Pakistan as she had provided the finishing touches. She had scored 67 runs off just 59 balls and was awarded the Player of the match for her match-winning knock.

Thus, she is ticking the right boxes with both bat and ball and she is high on confidence at the moment.

Veda Krishnamurthy said in a discussion with Star Sports, “Overall, a different Pooja Vastrakar is being seen in this World Cup – a confident, aggressive, experienced Pooja Vastrakar and it is good to see that. It was not only her death bowling but initially also when she came to bowl, she looked very effective.”

“If someone looked effective at the start after Rajeshwari Gayakwad, it was Pooja Vastrakar. But at the end of the day, she kept on improving, the yorkers she executed were excellent. The spell of 4/34 are her own best figures and it is at the No. 3 position in this World Cup.”

On the other hand, former Indian captain Anjum Chopra added that Pooja was a bit unlucky to miss out on a hat-trick. Pooja conceded only two runs in the 47th over she bowled and took two wickets on consecutive balls.

“She was unlucky not to pick up a hat-trick as well. To get the ball up in the blockhole is not easy and she has not been somebody who has been bowling consistently for India.”

“Yes, trying to hone your skills in the nets is one thing but to go into a match and make sure you get the ball in the right area and the situation in which she was bowling, I think that’s spot on and the confidence has rubbed in from the batting.”

India women will next play their third match of the tournament against West Indies women at Seddon Park, Hamilton on Saturday.