Former captain Mithali Raj has expressed her concerns after India suffered an 11-run loss to England at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023. India’s defeat has made their path to the knockout stages more challenging, and Raj has called for improvement in all three aspects of the game.
Speaking after the match, Raj highlighted the need for consistency in the team’s batting, bowling, and fielding. She emphasized the importance of maintaining a high level of performance in all areas, as even small errors can prove costly in the shortest format of the game.
Photo Credit: t20worldcup.com
Raj also praised England for their performance and credited their strong bowling attack for creating difficulties for India’s batsmen. She stated that India needs to be more proactive in dealing with the opposition’s bowling and adapt quickly to changing conditions on the field.
India will have to bounce back quickly from their defeat to England if they want to qualify for the knockout stages. They have upcoming matches against South Africa and Pakistan, and Raj’s call for a complete team performance will be crucial if India is to make it to the next round.
It was a big ask for India’s lower-middle order to chase down the total before she arrived, but there had been some optimism that India might win this game. England was disciplined in the middle and death overs despite being costly in the power play. In the final few overs, they secured those wickets and stopped the opponents from scoring runs. The No. 1 T20 bowler, Sophie Ecclestone, demonstrated why she is the best in this category by dismissing Harmanpreet Kaur in her first over. Due to the loss, England will likely win the group despite Pakistan’s disastrous performance against them on Tuesday in Cape Town. India’s path to the tournament final thus takes an unfavorable detour, as a potential matchup with world No. 1 and defending champion Australia is likely to occur at the semi-final level.
After India’s 11-run loss to England at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, Mithali Raj, the previous captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, called for improvement in all three categories. At St. George’s Park in Gqeberha on Saturday, India and England were able to split the win, but their chase fell apart when they needed 31 runs from the final six deliveries. India’s performance was ultimately saved by a final over of 19, but England’s victory has propelled them to the summit of Group 2 with a 6-0 record against India in T20 competitions.
Raj emphasized that India’s performance suffered during the middle overs of both innings while chatting on the 100% Cricket Podcast. She emphasized that Smriti Mandhana’s departure, who was forging a relationship with Richa Ghosh, was a critical turning point for India. Raj stressed the value of partnerships in the middle innings for creating a substantial total and pursuing goals. She also urged India to strengthen their defense, which she considers to be a weak point in their performance. In order for India to advance to the tournament’s knockout rounds, Raj said that the nation must work to produce top-notch results in each of the three aspects of the game: batting, bowling, and fielding.
Up until a specific individual arrived in the game between India and England, there was still a chance that India would win. Unfortunately, England’s middle-order discipline and strain from the death overs made it difficult for the lower-middle order to chase down the total. Despite England’s costly Powerplay start, they made up for it by restricting their opponents’ runs and capturing key wickets in the final overs, displaying their determination.
The Indian squad was left in a bind after Sophie Ecclestone, the No. 1 T20 bowler, dismissed Harmanpreet Kaur in her very first over. With the possible exception of a disastrous outcome against Pakistan, the loss has made England’s top-of-the-group finish all but certain. India’s route to the tournament final, unfortunately, has taken an unfavorable turn, and a potential matchup with Australia, the top-ranked team in the world and the defending champions, looms in the semi-finals.
Women’s T20 World Cup Standings: Raj, who is commentating on the competition, says that if her former colleagues want to defeat the favorites when they play them, they must improve in every area.
They must execute at their highest level in the semifinals. Because it’s a knockout and you’re competing against the finest in the world, you need to be extremely skilled in all three areas. India’s hitting and bowling have both been very shaky thus far, but their fielding has been solid in spots.
Australia’s 15-player squad’s collective quality has allowed them to cruise to four wins on the other side of the draw despite being placed in some challenging circumstances.
Within hours of India losing on the same field to South Africa, Australia’s middle order, led by Ash Gardner (28 from 29 balls), not only helped to steady the ship but also countered with Tahlia McGrath’s 57 (33), winning in the 17th over.
Raj believes that the only way to keep the pressure on the entire team is to set a goal that requires at least eight runs per over given the high caliber of batting among the Australian team.
“You have to set a goal and put no less than 160 on the board if you want to defeat a team like Australia.” The Indian team relies heavily on its spinners, but only Deepti Sharma is currently performing up to par. Even to defend a goal you set when you have players like Renuka Thakur, Shikha Pandey, and Deepti, you need assistance from the other bowlers.
Therefore, when India plays Australia, they really need to perform better than they have been doing during the league portion.
Raj has other goals at the competition besides calling the action, given her position as a coach for the Gujarat Giants in the upcoming inaugural Women’s Premier League, which kicks off on March 4.
Raj is content to witness history being made from the other side of the boundary, even though she regrets that the groundbreaking tournament came a little too late for her to participate in it.
I’m thrilled to be commentating while viewing the game from the sidelines because it’s a very different viewpoint.
“I’m sure that the WPL and the other leagues around the world will allow every other player from various countries to participate and get more exposure to this format; it can only help the game,” the player said.
