Indian women's team carry billion Cup hopes

Thatscricket.com March 10 2005

By Suhrid Barua
Bangalore: Even as the Indian women's team embarks for South Africa to take part in the World Cup beginning March 22, there is a great deal of optimism all around. There's a sense that the team have the ammunition to win the World Cup.

Normally before a World Cup, there's so much of media hype and hoopla around the team but this time it's not just confined to that; there's a genuine feeling that this team could corner glory.Skipper Mithali Raj, who took over the reins of the side from Mamatha Maben just before the World Cup, feels Australia and New Zealand are two sides, who could spoil the Indian party.

"Aussies and Kiwis are formidable outfits. They would be tough to beat. If we've to win the World Cup, we've to vanquish both these sides," she said in an interview to Thatscricket.com on eve of her team's departure on Thursday."I see them as our biggest threats. But I think if we play to our potential, I don't see any reason why I can't put it across them.

"The 23-year-old Indian batting mainstay said the team w'd have to play as a team and added that individual brilliances would count for nothing."We got to jell as a team. We need to play as a cohesive unit. Individual brillance would mean nothing. After all cricket is a team game and all eleven players would have to pull their weight," she observed.

The Hyderabad-based girl, who created a huge stir when she smashed a superb 214 against England in Taunton in 2002, conceded that the team had a solid blend of youth and experience."We've got a good team. Our batting looks okay while bowling is in good health. Our only worry is our fielding but we have worked hard on it during the World Cup training camp and hopefully we'd show significant improvement in that department in the World Cup," she signed off.