Former Indian cricket captain Mithali Raj has called for improvement in all areas of the game after India lost by 11 runs to England at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023. She said that the team has been inconsistent in their batting, bowling, and fielding. Despite having a good start to the chase, India lost momentum in the final overs and fell short by 31 runs. England improved their record against India to 6-0, while India slipped to second place with two wins and one loss.
Mithali Raj on India’s defeat against England
Raj identified the middle overs of both innings as where India faltered. She highlighted the loss of Smriti Mandhana, who was building a partnership with Richa Ghosh, as a crucial moment in the game. She also praised England’s disciplined bowling in the middle and death overs, particularly by Sophie Ecclestone.
The defeat means that India will likely face world No.1 and defending champions Australia in the semifinals. Mithali Raj said that India needs to improve in all three departments of the game to beat them. She identified batting as India’s weakness and said that they need to score at least 160 runs to put pressure on the Australian team. She also stressed the importance of support from other bowlers besides Deepti Sharma.
Apart from her commentary duties, Raj is also a mentor for the Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League, which begins on March 4. She expressed her happiness to be watching the game from the sidelines. And also believes that such tournaments can help players gain more exposure and improve their skills.
Australia still unbeatable in the tournament
Australia, on the other hand, have won all four of their matches. They have a strong middle order, which helped them to victory against South Africa. Mithali Raj believes that a target of 160 or more is necessary to beat them.
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