MITHALI HINTS WORLD CUP COULD BE HER LAST T20
SAYS WITH YOUNGSTERS COMING IN, NEED TO KEEP TEAM’S INTERESTS IN MIND
› There are times when I think about the team, whether it is the right time to move on, and I believe that now the team is settling. MITHALI RAJ, On the future
MUMBAI: Venerable batter Mithali Raj has hinted that the ongoing ICC World T20 in the West Indies could be her last for India in the shortest format, having powered her team to a commanding seven-wicket win over Pakistan.
Mithali scored 56 off 47 balls with seven fours as India chased down Pakistan’s 133/7 in their Group B contest at Providence on Sunday with one over to spare. Mithali added 73 runs for the first wicket with Smriti Mandhana.
Adjudged ‘Player of the Match’, Mithali said that she has been contemplating retirement from T20 Internationals with several youngsters in fray. “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,” the ICC quoted Mithali as saying.
“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,” she said.
“There are times when I think about the team, whether it is the right time to move on, and I believe that now the team is settling, so it could probably be the last World Cup for me, the WT20 format,” she clarified.
Mithali returned to the opening slot against Pakistan, having shifted to the middle-order for India’s first game against New Zealand. Explaining her role, Mithali said, “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 (in) 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.”
“I think today they felt that because there are spinners in the Pakistan side, and it would be wise to open,” she added.
Mithali said batting instinctively is her secret for scoring runs. “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 to watch the ball and play instinctively, whether it is an aggressive shot or walking out for a single,” she added. NEW DELHI: The playing conditions will not be similar to Australia but it would still be valuable match practice for Test regulars, who are part of India A squad in New Zealand, says coach Rahul Dravid.
India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Murali Vijay, Prithvi Shaw, Parthiv Patel and Hanuma Vihari figure in the A squad for the first unofficial Test, scheduled in Mount Maunganui from November 16.
All these six players have also been picked for the four-test series in Australia, beginning December 6.
“I think it will be a very good opportunity for some of the boys who are requested by the senior team management to be a part of the A tour,” Dravid told bcci.tv.
“They will be able to gain some match-time experience even if the conditions are not going to be exactly the same or it is not like being in Australia. The A team format is pretty competitive and it is match-time experience. MUMBAI: Players had crucial lessons to take when both the matches in the ongoing ICC Women’s World T20 on Sunday — India versus Pakistan and Ireland versus Australia — witnessed teams being penalised for their batsmen running in the ‘danger area’.
Pakistan were docked a fiverun penalty twice against India, while Ireland were handed a five-run penalty against the Southern Stars in the second game of the day.
India thus began their chase at 10/0 without a ball being bowled, and they sauntered to a seven-wicket win over Pakistan who had their players Nida Dar and Bismah Maroof being guilty of running on the pitch.
Both Nida (52) and Bismah (53) gave Pakistan’s faltering batting some momentum, but they were warned first in the 13th over as the ICC’S ‘Playing Conditions’ call for a first and final warning. The rule says the erroneous side can be penalised five runs after the first warning.
The first five-run penalty on Pakistan was imposed on the first ball of the 18th over, while the second came on the final ball of the same over.
The rule is important as the Providence Stadium in Guyana is hosting 11 matches over nine days of the tournament.
Pakistan captain Javeria Khan admitted her team was warned thrice. “I had a chat with the umpires and they told me that they warned the player thrice, and after warning three times, imposed the penalty,” she said.