The Indian skipper vows to put aside World Cup final anguish and says she’ll play ODI cricket for 2 more years; bats for Women’s version of the IPL.
London: India captain Mithali Raj said now was time to “create the base” of a female equivalent to the Indian Premier League after her side’s hopes of Women’s World Cup final glory were snatched away by England at Lord’s.
Raj’s side looked on course to lift the trophy for the first time at 191 for three, chasing 229 for victory, in Sunday’s final at the ‘home of cricket’.
But on the same Lord’s ground where India’s men had won an inaugural World Cup title back in 1983, they lost their last seven wickets for just 28 runs to be bowled out for 219 with eight balls to spare.
Anya Shrubsole did the damage with a late burst of five wickets for 11 runs in 19 deliveries. The pace bowler’s match haul of six for 46 was also the best individual return in any Women’s World Cup final.
Pressure got to India in the end, but the 34-year-old Raj, who later confirmed this has been her last World Cup appearance, said that would be less likely to happen if they had a tournament to match Australia’s Twenty20 Women’s Big Bash League or England’s equivalent Super League.
England’s women have been full-time professionals for some two years now, with Raj’s side still on their way - although the squad did receive bonus payments of 50 lakh Indian rupees (£60,000) each for reaching the final from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
“It’s a World Cup final, we knew if we held our nerve we would be in with a chance but it did feel like it was slipping away at 190 for three.
BCCI’s welcome for Women’s Team
The BCCI is planning a grand felicitation for the Indian women’s cricket team, which won a billion hearts despite a heartbreaking loss in the World Cup final at Lord’s on Sunday. The team is scheduled to return home in batches from Wednesday onwards. The date and venue for the felicitation has not been finalised yet and will be done after checking the availability of the players. At the ceremony, the players will be presented with cheques of Rs 50 lakh each while the support staff will receive will Rs 25 lakh each, as announced by the BCCI before the final.
They lost the final but made the nation proud with their performance. The BCCI will organise a felicitation for the team and we are also trying to fix up a meeting with Prime Minister Modi
- Amitabh Choudhary
Harmanpreet Offered DSP Post
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday offered woman cricketer Harmanpreet Kaur the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) post in Punjab Police after her impeccable show in the Women’s World Cup 2017. Praising the Indian vice captain, who hails from Moga district in Punjab, Captain Amarinder said the young girl had done Punjab proud with her superb performance that steered Team India to a semi-final victory and given a tight fight to England in the final match. He took to Twitter to announce this news.
I thank CM of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh for job offer. Our daughters made us proud
- Harmandar Singh
(Harmanpreet Singh’s father)
Morgan Takes A Swipe At Sehwag
The banter on Twitter between former India opener Virender Sehwag and British journalist Piers Morgan has been on for quite a while, and well followed it is too. Morgan jumped on the opportunity to take a swipe at Sehwag after India lost the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 final to England at Lord’s on Sunday. “You OK, buddy @virendersehwag? #WWC2017final ???,” Morgan tweeted mentioning Sehwag on Twitter. The two had been at each other for quite a while now, with the bragging rights shifting from one to the other and keeping everyone interested.
Me and all of India prouder even in this loss than you can ever be mate. We fought well &will only get better & stronger. Enjoy for a change
- Virender Sehwag
(Via Twitter)
