![\"Mithali](\"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Mithali-Raj-and-Heather-Knight-with-the-ICC-WWC.jpg\")
London: Mithali Raj is predicting plenty of runs at Lord\u2019s when India takes on host England in a mouth-watering ICC Women\u2019s World Cup 2017 final on Sunday.<\/p>\nLondon: Mithali Raj is predicting plenty of runs at Lord\u2019s when India takes on host England in a mouth-watering ICC Women\u2019s World Cup 2017 final on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Both sides have impressed with the bat in this tournament as India made 281 in its opening match, also against England, a month ago \u2013 a score it equalled in the semi-final victory over Australia.<\/p>\n
For its part, England smashed 377 for seven in an emphatic pool win over Pakistan \u2013 its highest total in an ICC WWC match.<\/p>\n
Indian skipper Raj knows all about scoring runs at Lord\u2019s \u2013 she made 59 in an ODI at the venue back in 2006 and a brilliant unbeaten 94 at the ground six years later.<\/p>\n
So, despite its famous slope, that has been the downfall of many a batter over the years, and rain in the air that could give assistance to the bowlers, the 34-year-old is taking confidence into Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t play at Lord\u2019s that often but when I last played here, the slope wasn\u2019t really in my mind,\u201d said Raj.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you start thinking too much about the slope and how the ball is going to curve in or curve out, then you forget the fundamentals of your own batting.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to keep it as simple as we have been throughout the tournament and see where it takes us in the final.<\/p>\n
\u201cLooking at the wicket, it looks full of runs and any venue where you\u2019ve scored runs previously always gives you confidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt gives you confidence but you have to have that focus and put in the work to score your runs.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pitches throughout the tournament have mostly aided slower bowlers, with most teams\u2019 spinners finding consistent success.<\/p>\n
But with impressive quicks such as Katherine Brunt, Anya Shrubsole and Natalie Sciver at his disposal, as well as a slightly greener wicket at Lord\u2019s, England coach Mark Robinson is rooting for some seam movement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve seen the wicket and it\u2019s got a nice little bit of grass which will hopefully give it a little bit of pace,\u201d said Robinson.<\/p>\n
\u201cBar maybe one game at Derby, there hasn\u2019t been any seam movement in this whole tournament so it\u2019s been one for slow bowlers.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only thing that would affect our team selection is the weather because if we go to a shorter game, we might have to have a rethink.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re hoping to avoid things like Duckworth-Lewis-Stern, so we\u2019re all praying for sunshine and 50 overs per side to keep things simple.\u201d<\/p>\n
India beat England by 35 runs in its opening match, although the host has gone on to win seven consecutive matches since.<\/p>\n
Home skipper Heather Knight admits revenge is on the mind of her team and believes a greater familiarity with the Lord\u2019s surroundings could pay dividends.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels like a hell of a long time ago that opening game was played,\u201d she said. \u201cObviously we\u2019re out for a little bit of revenge but both sides have played a lot of cricket since then and changed a lot, so I don\u2019t think the first game will have much of a bearing.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of the squad have grown up training here [at Lord\u2019s] and I only live about eight miles down the road, so it feels like a second home to me because I spend so much time here!<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you play at Lord\u2019s there is that history and it\u2019s the best ground in the world in my opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
London: Mithali Raj is predicting plenty of runs at Lord\u2019s when India takes on host England in a mouth-watering ICC Women\u2019s World Cup 2017 final on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Both sides have impressed with the bat in this tournament as India made 281 in its opening match, also against England, a month ago \u2013 a score it equalled in the semi-final victory over Australia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":35242,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[3513,5573,12367,7278,6480,466,5936,1449,5574],"class_list":["post-35243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cricket-cricket","tag-cricket","tag-harmanpreet-kaur","tag-icc-womens-world-cup-2017","tag-india-vs-england","tag-indian-sports","tag-indian-sports-news","tag-lords","tag-mithali-raj","tag-poonam-raut"],"yoast_head":"\n