Mithali Raj played a 47-ball 56 run knock in India's convincing 7 wicket win over Pakistan in the ICC Women's World T20.
 |
Mithali Raj played a fifty run knock against Pakistan at the
ICC Women’s World T20. (Source: AP)
|
Mithali Raj came into the second
group game against Pakistan at the ICC Women’s World T20 with questions over
her place in the batting lineup. Tanya Bhatia had opened in the first game
against New Zealand with Mithali not getting an opportunity to bat despite
India losing five wickets. Things changed in the second T20I, however, as she
opened alongside Smriti Mandhana – chasing 134 runs.
She made the opportunity count
with a 47-ball 56 run knock to steer India close to the finishing line before
perishing in the seven wicket win at Guyana. She was adjudged the Man of the
Match but later conceded that the 2018 edition might be her last Women’s World
T20 appearance.
Mithali advocated that the team
had undergone a transition and there was a need to make way for younger
players. “Well, I see that representing the country is the biggest
motivation and inspiration no matter how many years you spend there wearing the
India colours,” said Raj after the match.
“But yes, when you also think
that the team has gone through a lot of transition, and there are a lot of
youngsters in the side, so at some point (thinking about) more than myself,
whether I would be able to give the best or not. There are times when I think
about the team, whether it is the right time to move forward, and I believe
that now the team is settling, so it could probably be the last World Cup for
me, the WT20 format.”
Raj and Mandhana added 73 runs
for the opening wicket in the chase. She later explained why the decision to
move her from the opening slot in the New Zealand could have been made and why
she was brought back to open against Pakistan.
“Well, that has always been my
role of an opener in the team it’s just that maybe because it was a big team we
were playing the first game, and we wanted somebody in the middle order, so
experience does play a role when you want to push yourself down in the middle
order,” she explained about the switch.
“I think today they felt that
because there are spinners in the Pakistan side, and it would be wise to open,
so I opened the innings for India.”
Speaking about her knock, Mithali
stated she takes things by the ball and doesn’t have a premeditated
plan. “I think as an opener, I don’t think too much how to go about it,
but as a batter, you would want to focus on the ball and play with instinct,”
she said.
“Batting is all about instincts.
You don’t plan and go there because obviously, the opponents have a different
plan, and if you only want to stick to your plan, there is obviously a
downfall. So as a batter, my focus is only on to watch the ball and play instinctively
whether it is an aggressive shot or walking out for a single.”
- ICC Women's World T20
- , Mithali Raj
Source:https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/icc-women-world-t20-mithali-raj-5442379/
EmoticonEmoticon