ICC Women's World Cup 2017: Mithali Raj engulfed in mixed emotions after final loss
What’s the story?
Mithali Raj, the captain of the Indian team, revealed that although she was unhappy at the defeat to England in the final, she was ‘very proud’. She spoke highly of her ‘team’ and lauded each and everyone’s efforts in reaching the World Cup final.
Speaking after at the post match presentation, Raj said, "Obviously, I wouldn't be happy, but as a captain, I'm very proud."
"I've seen the changes the girls have made to their personal games. As a team, we have regrouped to where the team is today. How the team has come along, it's a great effort by everybody. Yes, it's probably the last World Cup for me and Jhulan, but I'm very happy that the team doesn't look weak. They are still very confident, they are a team that every other team will be watching out for in the coming years," she added.
The context
India made it to the World Cup final, for only the second time in their history, after scripting incredible wins against New Zealand and Australia. In the final at Lord’s, they were going pretty strong and were on course to win the trophy. They had restricted England to a below par score and Punam Raut and Harmanpreet Kaur had set the platform. However, the pressure got the better of the lower order. Eventually, the team fell short by only 9 runs.
The heart of the matter
Mithali Raj reflected on her team’s journey to the World Cup final. She observed, "We started off well. We had a couple of matches where we were defeated and then coming back stronger. Unlike in 2005, where the finals was one-sided, it went on until the end. The girls gave it all, I know. It happens to the best of (the) best players and teams, but I'm sure the girls gave their best to make it happen. It didn't, but we can always take the positives and move on.”
Speaking about the many moments in the final, Raj conceded that they thought they had a real chance after Jhulan Goswami gave them a crucial breakthrough in the middle overs.
"There were phases when we thought we were back in the game because that partnership between Sarah Taylor and Sciver, to break that was crucial. The spell she (Jhulan) bowled had given us a chance to hold England. We decided to put them to below 250 and the bowlers have done well," she said.
"Yes I have, I have seen a lot of brilliant spells from her. She hadn't started the tournament well but has definitely ended it on a high. That's the experience that really counts in these matches. She's a player India should celebrate," Raj heaped praise on her long-time teammate.
She reckoned that Katherine Brunt’s little cameo down the order gave England a total that they could defend. But she did concede that it was India’s lower middle order that failed to contribute. "Katherine Brunt's 34 was very crucial for them. At one stage, they were 6-7 wickets down, so her runs, and whoever came in, extended their total from 180 to 225, which we could not do. We were in a similar situation at one point, we were probably eight runs ahead of them, wickets in hand, and yet the result isn't in our favour. I guess it is important that the lower middle order needs to contribute."
“I think especially the lower middle-order needs to contribute at some point. That is something that has been a concern for the Indian team at some point. When it comes to these situations, they don't really contribute much. It's important now, it’s like the fielding department, batting is something everybody needs to do, no matter which position they go," Raj said.
The skipper further added how it was a learning experience for everyone and how valuable this experience will be later on. "It's a learning experience for all the girls, and I'm sure they will use this experience when they are in a similar situation in future. It's about experience and how they use it during that situation is very important, which probably the girls weren't experienced enough to do it. It's just a matter of thinking about calculations, and keeping your cool in the middle," she said.
Raj also noted Punam Raut’s gritty performance as she said, "I would like to add that it was a very brave innings from Punam Raut, in a situation like that. The partnership between her and Harman and Veda, very important. They really built the innings."
What’s next?
The World Cup might have ended on a disappointing note but there are so many positives India will take back home. More importantly, they will be ready for the upcoming challenges and in four years’ time, this team could very well go all the way.
Author’s take
Raj’s statements show just how good a captain she is, not just on the field but off it as well. She praised everyone and said she was proud of them. Well, to be honest, everyone in India should be. These girls came from nowhere, no one knew half of them a month back, and then, on a Sunday, they had the entire country cheering for them. If that’s not incredible, I don’t know what is.