‘I focus on lessons from a match that didn't go well’: Niki Prasad after entering elite club with wickets off first two balls

Raipur: Rising all-rounder Niki Prasad, who recently entered an elite list of bowlers by taking wickets on her first two deliveries in international cricket during the second T20I against Zimbabwe, says she prefers extracting lessons from setbacks rather than carrying the weight of a poor display into subsequent matches.

Prasad, who led India to their second consecutive Women’s U19 T20 World Cup title in Malaysia in 2025, posted figures of 2 for 7 from two overs of off-spin as India comfortably defeated Zimbabwe by nine wickets. The victory gave the hosts an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.

Her dual-wicket milestone made her only the third cricketer in T20I history to strike with each of her first two balls, joining Australia's Michael Kasprowicz and Akshatha Rao of the USA. The standout bowling performance, complemented by sharp team fielding, followed an assured international debut in the series opener at the same venue, where she scored a calm, unbeaten 39 off 35 deliveries and hit the winning runs.

"If I keep thinking that my performance is not good, then I think I will play the next matches under the same pressure. So I think about what the lessons were from a match that didn't go well and how to apply them in the next match," Prasad was quoted as saying by the ICC in the post-match press conference.

As India gear up to target a 3-0 series sweep against Zimbabwe in Tuesday's final T20I in Raipur, Niki emphasised that the squad remains focused on refineable details, including fielding discipline. "I think in every practice session and every match, we try to make as many improvements as possible. There were some misfields here and there, but overall, our team's progress has been really good."

She also praised her fellow bowlers for maintaining disciplined plans throughout the game. "Our plans were very clear. We wanted to attack the stumps as much as possible. I think all the bowlers were very sharp in executing the plan."

Addressing the batting performance, Niki noted that the top order regrouped effectively following the series opener. "The flow of the batters is not the same every day. We came back and talked about what we could do better. It was very basic: we would focus on our strengths as much as possible. All the batters, Smriti di and Shafali di, went out and played to their strengths."

Reflecting on her initiation into the senior international setup, Niki highlighted the leadership of new skipper Smriti Mandhana in preserving a positive team environment. "This is also my first time with the Indian team. Over the years, I can see how good the team environment has been. And I think Smriti di is carrying the same thing forward." (IANS)