At the forthcoming Women’s ODI World Cup, former captain Mithali Raj believes that if India can grasp crucial opportunities and turn the tide in their favor during crucial matches, they can end their lengthy trophy drought.
Along with Australia and England, hosts India will be the tournament favorites going into next month’s World Cup. The ‘Women in Blue’, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, will be attempting to win their first global championship after losing twice in the 50-over finals.
“I think (India) needs to seize those small moments during the big games,” Raj told ICC Digital.
“That’s where the balance (is) of the teams which are in contention. They try and use more of those moments and try to shift the momentum to their side and India need to seize those moments,” she added.
Raj, who guided India to the World Cup finals in 2005 and 2017, believes that winning the championship would revolutionize the women’s sport in the nation.
“I think it would be huge. I mean, that is something that all the players, whoever picks up the bat, whoever wants to represent the country would want to win the World Cup because so far India hasn’t,” she said.
“Yes, we’ve come close twice, but we haven’t got our hands on the Cup. It would be great to win a World Cup at home because that’s a very different stage altogether…and giving all of us an opportunity to see that.”
Young players Kranti Goud and Shree Charani made an impression during India’s recent white-ball tour of England, which helped the team win the T20I and ODI series.
Raj was especially pleased with Goud, a 22-year-old pace sensation.
“I was quite impressed with Kranti Goud in England with her raw talent,” Raj noted.
“She has played WPL (Women’s Premier League) but she does not really have that much experience.”
“But the grit that she gets as a seamer trying to keep pegging in and getting wickets (is impressive) and she picked up a six-wicket haul (in England) as well so I would love to see her in the World Cup playing at home.”
India’s match against co-hosts Sri Lanka kicks off the Women’s World Cup on September 30.
