The Indians showed what they are capable of when beating fancied Australia convincingly at the North Sydney Oval last week. But they will have their work cut out tomorrow against a resurgent Australian side.
But for their abysmal catching, shoddy fielding and pathetic throwing-in in their five-wicket defeat by New Zealand last Tuesday, the Indian women could have been playing in the final of the World Cup here on Sunday, instead of facing Australia for the third place tomorrow.
The Indians showed what they are capable of when beating fancied Australia convincingly at the North Sydney Oval last week. But they will have their work cut out tomorrow against a resurgent Australian side.
The hosts, who started tentatively in the tournament, have improved by leaps and bounds. They crushed England, who have impressed thus far and were installed favourites to win the title after winning all their matches thus far, by eight wickets yesterday.
"It's taken us six games and two games in the warm-up to put together a great team effort," Australian captain Karen Rolton said after her team's impressive win.
On the other hand, the Indian women appeared dispirited at a dinner hosted for them by cricket aficionados Surjit Singh Gujral and his son Rasan at their popular restaurant at which former Pakistan legend Wasim Akram, here as a television commentator, and Indian Test pace bowler S Sreesanth were also present.
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down but not out: India skipper
Jhulan Goswami |
Bad display
"We played badly at important stages," captain Jhulan Goswami told KHALIDOSCOPE in a reference to the match against New Zealand. "We were in with a chance to win even though we had managed only 207 in 49.4 overs.
"Had we been sharper in the field and not dropped two catches at crucial stages, we could have upset the New Zealanders."
Pace spearhead Goswami, who took over the reins of captaincy from star batsman Mithali Raj after the ODI series defeat to hosts England last year and was crowned the ICC women's player of the Year in 2007, conceded she had erred in bowling only six overs.
"Mujhse galti ho gayee," she admitted, adding, "khair ab to hame aage dekhna hai."
To qualify for the final, Australia needed to win against England yesterday but also needed lowly Pakistan to beat New Zealand, a highly improbable task. The Kiwis recorded a 223-run victory.
Amassing 373 runs against Pakistan, of which basketballer-turned cricketer Suzie Bates scored 168 runs from 105 balls, the New Zealanders dismissed the Pakistani girls for 150.
