Why Women’s Cricket World Cup final is extra special for Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami
Mithali Raj knows it will be a special occasion for her and Jhulan Goswami when India take part in their second Women’s Cricket World Cup final, 12 years after losing the summit clash of the showpiece event.
India were beaten by Australia back in 2005 but banished those demons by knocking out the reigning World Champions in a dramatic semi-final in Derby.
That 36-run win earned India a spot at the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2017 final where they will face hosts England in front of a sold-out at the home of cricket in London.
READ | India vs England, Women’s Cricket World Cup: History awaits Mithali Raj & Co.
This will be the India captain’s last Women’s Cricket World Cup and she’s determined to make it extremely difficult for England to earn their third tournament success on home soil.
“For me and Jhulan (Goswami) it is very special because we are the only players from 2005 still with the team and for us it feels like going back to 2005. We are all very excited to be part of the World Cup final. We knew this tournament wasn’t going to be easy but the way the girls have turned up at every situation when the team needed!” said Mithali Raj.
“I’m so happy that the girls have given us an opportunity again to be part of the World Cup final. It definitely is not going to be easy for England, but having beaten Australia, I am sure the girls are on a high but it will boil down to how we perform on the day. Playing the hosts in their own country is going to be a challenge but this unit is up for it.”
England, meanwhile, qualified for the final with a dramatic two-wicket win over South Africa with Anya Shrubsole hitting the winning run in the final over.
READ | Celebrate Harmanpreet Kaur, don’t compare her with me: Kapil Dev
The hosts have lost just once in the tournament so far, a 35-run defeat to India in the opening game of the tournament in Derby.
Since then England have gone seven games unbeaten to reach Lord’s but captain Heather Knight believes there is still more to come from her side.
“We keep finding ways to win at the moment, we haven’t quite put the perfect performance together, we’d readily admit that. There’s still one game to go and if we put a perfect performance in then, I’ll be a very happy captain. We’re delighted to get to the final. We back the depth in our team and we’re finding ways to win at the moment,” she said.
“The plan was to get to Lord’s and sing our song and we’re one step closer to that. It was a massive carrot going into the semi-final and lucky we had the wise head of Jenny Gunn to get over the line, so we’re delighted.”