Hosts India will enter next month's World Cup as tournament favourites alongside Australia and England. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led 'Women in Blue' will be chasing their maiden world title, having fallen short twice in the finals in the 50-over format. "I think (India) needs to seize those small moments during the big games," Raj told ICC Digital
Mithali Raj. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Former captain Mithali Raj feels India can end their long-standing trophy drought if they seize key moments and swing the momentum in their favour during big games at the upcoming Women's ODI World Cup. Hosts India will enter next month's World Cup as tournament favourites alongside Australia and England. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led 'Women in Blue' will be chasing their maiden world title, having fallen short twice in the finals in the 50-over format. "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 led India to the World Cup finals in 2005 and 2017, feels a title triumph would have a transformative impact on the women's game in the country.
"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."
India's recent white-ball tour of England saw youngsters Kranti Goud and Shree Charani make their mark, with the team clinching both the T20I and ODI series. Raj was particularly impressed by 22-year-old pace sensation Goud. "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." The Women's World Cup begins on September 30, with India opening their campaign against co-hosts Sri Lanka.
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