After the repeated failure of Women-in-Blue’s middle-order, India’s T20 vice-captain Smriti Mandhana believes that the best way to avoid another collapse is for her to “practically bat for 18 to 20 overs” during stiff chases.

On Wednesday, Mandhana hit a quickfire fifty and put up a 98-run stand with Jemimah Rodrigues but Team India failed to capitalize on it as they were dismissed for 136 while chasing a target of 160.

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“My wicket, along with Jemimah’s, turned out to be crucial. If you get out back-to-back in T20, it proves costly. When you are chasing 160 and the run-rate is above 7 or 8, next time we have to plan and play better. It didn’t work out today,” Mandhana was quoted as saying after the match.

“Practically, I would say I have to bat till 20 overs, that is the best option. The more I bat till 18 overs, we won’t collapse because if the top three or four batters can bat till the 18-20th overs then the rest can revolve around them, so tactically that is what I will try to do,” Mandhana added.

Mandhana also bettered her own record for fastest fifty by an Indian woman cricketer by a ball during her 58-run knock off 34 balls.

When Mandhana was asked if it was her best, she responded, “You never know what your best is. I can’t limit myself to a 60 and say it is my best. If I can chase my total and if I win matches for India then only it would be my best.”

Speaking about the chase, the 22-year-old said though they conceded a few runs towards the end, the team should have been able to chase the target.

“We almost got our run-rate under 7 which was great but definitely we gave away 10-15 runs extra in the end while bowling. We had got (Suzie) Bates and (Sophie) Devine and we don’t want the middle order score but the wicket was good and batters should have chased the target,” Mandhana said.

“The way we played the ODI series, even today we were cruising till 12th over but in T20 there is always a collapse. So next time we have to keep that in mind as a batting unit,” Mandhana said before adding, “You have to select the areas. Today, when we had got the run-rate under 7, I knew it was a bad shot to play because I had got only a boundary, so all these things we will be thinking as a unit.”

With the win, New Zealand women have taken a lead of 1-0 in the ongoing three-match T20I series. Mandhana also feels that the Indian side would be under pressure due to the lead in the next game.

“Being 1-0 down, we will be under the pump, everyone will be aiming to be better than what we were today and win the next two matches for India, that is what we are thinking and not what happened today.”