![\"Mithali](\"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Mithali-Raj-Captain.jpg\")
London: Losing seven wickets for 28 runs proved vital for India in its chase, with the lower order unable to contribute in the way that England\u2019s had earlier in the match when Katherine Brunt (34) and Gunn (25 not out) both chipped in to reach 228 for eight. <\/p>\n
That made the result a tough one to take for captain Mithali Raj, whose side had looked to be in control with Poonam Raut and Harmanpreet Kaur both making half-centuries in a partnership of 95. <\/p>\n
But with this its first final in 12 years, India\u2019s tournament could already be considered a success for the skipper, hopeful they can now build on the foundations of making the final. \u201cIt was a brave innings from Poonam, the partnership was very important and the two really built the innings,\u201d said Raj. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe lower-middle order needs to contribute, that has been a concern for a long time, batting is important and something everyone needs to do. \u201cIt\u2019s about experience and about how composed we are in the situation. The girls weren\u2019t experienced enough to do that, but the way they have fought through the tournament is heart-warming. \u201cThe India women\u2019s team has a bright future, we have very talented girls \u2013 it\u2019s just a matter of calculations, keeping your cool in the middle. <\/p>\n
\u201cThese girls have really set the platform for the upcoming generations in India, they\u2019ve opened up the channels for women\u2019s cricket and they should be really proud of themselves.\u201d <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, when Jenny Gunn dropped a catch with just 10 runs needed for victory, captain Heather Knight thought they had shelled the ICC Women\u2019s World Cup. But the captain, who herself put down a catch, believes the mental edge England gained from their run to the final helped in their dramatic victory against India. <\/p>\n
Knight\u2019s side had lost to India in its opening match, but prevailed in every match since then to reach the Lord\u2019s final, winning a nail-biting final by just nine runs in front of a sell-out crowd. That path had included tight wins over Australia in the group stage and South Africa in the last-four, but its nerve held out when it mattered most thanks to Anya Shrubsole\u2019s six wickets. But despite the ups, downs and everything in between, Knight felt the resolve was worth its weight in gold \u2013 finally getting the chance to sing a team song in celebration. \u201cThe song is something we\u2019ve spoken about for a long time,\u201d said Knight.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew we were in with a chance, we\u2019ve done it the hard way in the tournament. \u201cEvery game of cricket you\u2019re battling, in this it was for the trophy, your teammates and your country. Cricket is a funny game, we knew that if we could keep it at five or six runs an over and held our nerve that we were in with a chance. It felt It was slipping away a little bit, we fought, so proud of the girls. It\u2019s been a theme, us fighting hard and holding our nerve which we did today.” <\/p>\n
\u201cNobody likes dropping a catch \u2013 but mine was not as bad as Gunny\u2019s! We knew we had the bowlers and the experience of getting over the line. \u201cI felt we dropped the World Cup with Gunny\u2019s, it was a hard one to deal with. We were on top on that stage and I thought we\u2019d won and then lost it again.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
London: Losing seven wickets for 28 runs proved vital for India in its chase, with the lower order unable to contribute in the way that England\u2019s had earlier in the match when Katherine Brunt (34) and Gunn (25 not out) both chipped in to reach 228 for eight. That made the result a tough one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":34742,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[15691,7278,6480,466,1449],"class_list":["post-35255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cricket-cricket","tag-heather-knight","tag-india-vs-england","tag-indian-sports","tag-indian-sports-news","tag-mithali-raj"],"yoast_head":"\n