Current Indian side should be able to cross the final hurdle, says Anjum Chopra

Crossing the final hurdle is something that has haunted India in World Cups but the current Indian unit is better equipped to do so, feels Anjum Chopra.



“We had made it to the final in the 2005 World Cup in South Africa as well. It was on our minds before the tournament that we had reach the final,” said the former Indian captain in a Facebook Live chat with Indian Express. “But we didn’t know how to cross the final hurdle.”



India had made it to the final of the Women’s World Cup in 2017 and went down narrowly against England. In the T20 World Cup 2020, too, India made the title-clash but were thrashed by Australia.



“The current team should be better equipped (to win a World Cup). It has to do with preparation before the tournament.”



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Shafali Verma’s emergence was a big positive in the latest tournament and her fearlessness indicates the way the game has evolved said the southpaw.



“Shafali Verma is someone who comes with no baggage,” said Chopra. Verma had scored 161 runs in the competition and almost single-handedly carried India’s batting. However, she couldn’t replicate her form in the final.



Another thing that impressed Chopra was the presence of huge crowds, none better than the 86,174 in the final.



“We never played to capacity crowds – 90,000 people watching at the MCG – like I saw in the recent T20 World Cup,” she said. “Whatever change has happened in women’s cricket, it’s been for the better.”