The 58-run loss to the third-highest-ranked team in Group A leaves India in a tricky early position in the standings, with defending champions Australia the favourites to top a group that is fascinatingly poised after two results that defied the form book.
“Going forward I think we need to have the right approach because the tournament’s not over.
We need to take some positives from this game and a lot of learnings from this game,” Rodrigues said in India’s post-match press conference as quoted by the ICC.
India were on the back foot early in the game as New Zealand’s openers got off to a fast start, but Rodrigues said the pace of the Kiwis’ scoring did not come as a surprise.
“We knew that any team would come hard at us, and I think they came out with a lot of intent. We did create opportunities, but unfortunately, we didn’t make the most of it,” the right-hand batter added.
India’s number four instead opted to look at her own part in a batting display that fell way short of the team’s expectations.
Rodrigues chipped a simple catch to mid-on to depart for 13, and the 24-year-old was annoyed at herself for not playing more of a rebuilding role after the team had earlier slipped to 42/3.
“I know with my game I’m ready to bat anywhere the team wants me.
Today, because I was batting well, I had some form in the warm-up games, it was my responsibility to make sure we built a partnership after losing wickets,” the Indian cricketer said.
“Today would be the game we’d like to forget.
This is a World Cup and we need to keep moving on and picking ourselves up – we can’t say stuck on this game. We need to pick ourselves up and show the character of this team,” Rodrigues added.
Next up for India, it’s a fixture against neighbours Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday – a match that now takes on even greater significance, with the 2020 finalists needing a victory to stabilise the campaign.
But Pakistan will not be an easy test on the evidence of their opening-day performance, which saw them upset Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka.