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Captain of India Harmanpreet Kaur credited her team’s resilience, support staff and collective effort after India completed a historic 270-run victory over England in the first women’s Test at Lord’s on Monday.India wrapped up the game on the fourth morning after dismissing England for 186 while defending a daunting target of 457, sealing one of their most memorable victories in women’s Test cricket.When asked if she could have written a better ending, Harmanpreet smiled and said, “Definitely not. God is a better writer. He wrote it very well.”The skipper has special praise for the openers Smriti Mandhan and Shafali Verma, whose partnership set the platform for India’s commanding performance.“Yes, definitely. I think our openers were our biggest strength. The way they batted in the first half, I think it was something special to watch. They are the ones who always take responsibility and take all the pressure off us. And in this Test match, the way they batted was outstanding to watch.”India’s win was particularly significant given the limited number of Tests the team has to play. Harmanpreet said the support staff played a major role in preparing the players for the demands of the longest format.“I think it’s the effort that the whole team puts in, especially our support staff. A lot of them have played a lot of Test cricket. They know how Test cricket moves and they’re the ones who give us feedback at all times. It’s because of them that we’ve been able to play. I really want to thank Mr Amol and the whole team for the way they’ve supported us during this Test match and the last one we played.”The win came after India endured a disappointing Women’s T20 World Cup campaign, but Harmanpreet said the group remained united during a tough phase.“I don’t think the last couple of series have been in our favor. But I know that’s the time when things can pick up here and there. The way our support staff has held us together, it’s something to watch. Again, I want to give credit to Mr Amol and the whole support staff. They have kept us together. I know the summer in England didn’t go as we wanted, but we came back strong in the Test match. I’m really happy that we’re bringing home good memories now.“Harmanpreet also praised Yastik Bhatia, whose century proved crucial in India’s dominant display.“She’s a great batsman. We had a strong feeling about her and that’s why we put her in the XI. I’m really happy with the way she batted.”She also highlighted India’s fielding standards, praising Richa Ghosh while appreciating the efforts of the entire team and coaches on the field.“We always have one player who gets our fielding award. The way our whole team came out on the field in this Test match was something special to watch because the field is an area we’ve worked really hard on as a group. When you see the results, you feel really happy. Our fielding coach has been working so hard for so many years, so I’m really pleased with the way the whole team played on the field, especially Richa’s performance. Everyone came together and did the job for the team.“Looking ahead, Harmanpreet hoped the success at the Home of Cricket would encourage more women’s Tests to be played at the iconic venues.“Playing at Lord’s is always special. I really want to thank the people who thought of bringing a Test match here, and hopefully we get many more in the future. These types of matches bring a lot of happiness and excitement. I hope we keep getting more Test matches and keep doing the way we’re doing.”
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