A sombre evening. A loss that’s going to take a bit of time to digest. But a campaign we can be proud of, as is our Head Coach, Charlotte Edwards, who came out for the post-match press conference after Mumbai Indians’ five-run loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore on Friday (March 15). She summed up her emotions, analysed where MI lost the game, backed the players, and spoke of the younger Indian talents who’ve impressed her in the tournament. Excerpts..

Summing up her analysis of the game

We’ve seen on this pitch if people stay over there. We would have taken 135 with the short boundary one side. We just didn’t control the last 12 balls that ultimately cost us a final spot. That is something we will have to go and look at. Credit to RCB, they kept fighting and never gave up. The game is won or lost by small margins. Had Harman hit that six, it would have been our game. It’s bitterly disappointing. It is harder for the players. They will have to relive those moments for a number of years. I am just disappointed because we responded well from the other day. We played well for 38 overs and let ourselves down for 12 balls.

On if the lower order were short on match practice

I think they all had opportunities throughout the season. They are not short of match practice. They all had time out there in the middle. We lost today because we just didn’t play those final 12 balls as well as we should have. I am proud of the team. We fought back with the ball and we were in control with the bat. The game is of small margins, and unfortunately we’ve missed out.

Thoughts on the way the match ended

For some of these players, we forget, like someone like Sajana, has only played domestic cricket. This is the biggest stage they’ve played on. This is the WPL semi-final. Pressure does take a toll and that is why you want your top batters out there at the end of the game. The players would be massively better for this kind of experience. It is never easy when we’ve lost the game when we should have won it. There are a lot of players hurting in the dressing room now and we will definitely learn from this and be stronger.

On the turning point in the game

Oh it was Harman’s wicket. You could see the lift it gave RCB. We equally back Harman to take that shot. Had it gone for a six, it would have been 12 off the last two overs and we would have been in the driver’s seat. I thought it went for six when she hit it. It is small margins and I think we could pick at a lot of situations that happened in that game, but we were in control and we let it slip.

On Georgia Wareham

She’s a really good cricketer. She has had a few problems and has come back from there. You’ve seen her striking ability in this competition. We have seen her striking ability in this comp. Her leg-spin is very effective on these type of wickets. The Aussies have gotten a very good cricketer. She is very young and has a bright future ahead.

On the upcoming players who’ve impressed her in the tournament

I loved the new bowler from Gujarat Giants, Shabnam Shakil. Bright talent, 16 years old, and I thought she performed brilliantly. The fast bowlers really stand out for me. It is something India will look at looking forward. I love the way Shreyanka Patil plays her cricket. She comes to the wicket and you always feel you are in a battle with her. Yastika for us, she has a bright future ahead. This competition keeps unearthing more and more talent, and I am sure it is going to get even more in the years. Across India, I am sure more girls are going to be inspired to play the game.

On if she thought Harman could have taken it deeper

You can pick and pull things apart, and you can just back the players to do what is best in that situation. Who am I to tell Harmanpreet Kaur to do what is the right thing to do after she has performed the way she has for us in the tournament. At that point, that’s her shot, that’s her strength. With 16 needed off 12 balls, we should have still won that game. It is not down to that, but it is a pivotal moment in the game.

Thoughts on Harman, the leader

She is very calm, quiet. She doesn’t say too much. But when she does speak, It is very much worth listening to. That’s why I love working with her. She is very good around the players. She is sad that our tournament has ended the way it did. You can cope with it when you haven’t played very well but I thought we played well today. We put a lot of things right from the other day. But it wasn’t good enough and I guess that’s why it’s the end of our tournament.