Indian women’s team lost to England in their fourth match of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 in New Zealand. This victory gave England hope to stay alive in the competition as the defending champions had lost their first three matches.
India was coming off a good win over West Indies, but their batting weakness reared its ugly head again as they were bowled out for 134 after being put to bat first. Only Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh went past the 30-run mark, while Charlie Dean picked 4/23.
In reply, England overhauled the target with 4 wickets in hand, with captain Heather Knight making 53* and Nat Sciver making 45. Meghna Singh picked 3/26 for India.
Meanwhile, Mithali Raj reacted to the loss after the match and said: "We definitely didn't have partnership at the top of order, despite getting what we wanted after losing the toss. The thought of putting 200+, the match could have gone either ways. Every game as a fielding unit we are doing well and we hope to continue to do that. Batting is a concern but we'll try to address that in the next match, we are playing a team that hasn't lost to anyone."
This view was repeated by veteran bowler Jhulan Goswami, who became the first bowler to take 250 wickets in Women’s ODI matches.
She said: "Honestly speaking, at this moment, yes our top order, the way we are thinking, they haven't fired but I am sure you will have to be positive about that because they have done really well in the past. The way we have been thinking, they have not batted, but I am very much hopeful they are going to come back hard in the next game.”
Despite the defeat, India kept their third place in the eight-team standings with four points from two wins and as many losses. England moved up one place to sixth with two points from four matches.
"Because everybody wants to do well and this is the biggest platform, everybody wants to do well and contribute to the team. Again I am very much hope that they are going to come back stronger in the next game," added Goswami.
On being asked whether there was any strategy in place to avoid such collapses, she said, "There is no solution to it. It is a process and the game goes like it. Someday the top-order will not work, someday the middle order will not work; this is how this game has been played. In bowling also, one day bowlers will not bowl well, some others will come and support, that is the way this game has been played.”
“But definitely it is a learning process, every day we try to address certain issues, we will definitely solve these issues and come back strongly," the pace spearhead explained.
Goswami also shared disappointment at the team’s failure to bat out the whole 50 overs.
"Definitely, we had a plan to play 300 balls, but unfortunately we could not play the full 50 overs. Definitely, we had to pay a price for it. Our target was to reach 240 or 250 at par. If we could have reached there, we could have restricted them, but in cricket, some days it happens, you plan very well, but some things don't work in your way.
You have to understand you are playing against one of the best sides (in) England, they have done really well in the past few years. Unfortunately today, we could not execute our plan properly,” Goswami said.
On getting 250 ODI scalps personally, Goswami said, "When I started, I never thought about it, I just wanted to go there and express myself all the time."
India will next play table-toppers Australia on March 19 at Auckland.
(PTI inputs)
