In their fourth match of the Women’s World Cup 2022, the Indian team was bundled out for 134 runs in front of the defending champions England. Veteran women’s batter and India captain Mithali Raj failed once again. In the last four innings, only 46 runs have come off his bat. He scored 35 runs against New Zealand. Three out of four times she has not been able to even touch the tens figure.
At the same time, Smriti Mandhana’s excellent form continues and now she has become the second top scorer of the tournament. Mandhana also scored 35 runs in the match against England. Apart from her, no other batter could do anything special. He scored a century in the last match as well. He has so far scored 216 runs in the tournament after four innings of four matches, including a century and a half-century.
Australia’s Rachel Lewis Haynes is above Smriti Mandhana, who has scored 277 runs in four matches. India’s vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur is also at number four in the top-5, who has scored 199 runs in 4 matches so far. He also scored a century in the last match and before that a flamboyant half-century against New Zealand. Apart from this, no Indian batter is even in the top-10.
At one point in the final of the 2017 World Cup, India was close to becoming the world champion. Suddenly, the whole team got stacked in front of England’s bowling. Something similar happened in the current World Cup as well when the runner up of the previous edition faced the defending champions. Three on 28 and half the Indian team on 61 were returned to the pavilion.
No Indian batter could stand in front of the English bowlers. Smriti Mandhana (35) was the top scorer and in the end Richa Ghosh scored 33 and Jhulan Goswami scored 20 runs as India’s score crossed 100. Earlier, the Indian team had collected 4 points by winning two out of three matches. Before losing to New Zealand, the team defeated Pakistan and then West Indies in the third match.
After the ongoing match against England, the Indian team will face a strong Australia. In the end, Mithali Brigade will have to face Bangladesh and South Africa. If the team has to make it to the last four, then something special has to be done or else the challenges are not going to be easy.