"It could probably be the last World Cup for me, the T20 format": Mithali Raj

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Mithali Raj sets the stage for India's comfortable win over Pakistan

Mithali Raj in action. ©ICC

After having won two back to back matches against New Zealand and Pakistan, India is quite confident now. Captain Kaur's blistering ton guided India to win the first match whereas Mithali Raj was the reason behind the second win.



Mithali Raj didn't get the chance to bat in the first match. While talking about that, she shared, "That has always been my role of an opener in the team it's just that maybe because it was a big team we were playing the first game, and we wanted somebody in the middle order, so experience does play a role when you want to push yourself down in the middle order," she shared. "I think today they felt that because there are spinners in the Pakistan side, and it would be wise to open, so I opened the innings for India."



Pakistan lost both their games. Dar said, "Look, this total is very good, but the thing is the power play, the bowlers cannot do well, bowl in the power play, so we should try to make good things in the power play and try to restrict other teams in the power play."



"Still, we need to improve a lot of things, and we have a lot of people in our team that they can put on more effort in the game, and still, we perform in bits and pieces, but the thing is senior, junior -- the combination of senior, junior, they are very good, and we're still hoping for the best," she added.



Talking about the dropped catches, Mithali Raj expressed, "Well, I think it's important that it's a big tournament, and India-Pakistan always has its own pressures. The players do feel the pressure on the ground. But I think it's just when you're playing on such a big platform, there are times when you forget the fundamentals of the game I would say, like fielding, so it was important to remind the girls to make things very simple and just have a lot of self-belief."



After all the losses, Pakistan is still hopeful about their success. Nida Dar shared, "Of course we are looking forward for the next games, and hopefully the other team players, they can do better for the next games, and as I said, we performed in bits and pieces, so we could perform in better way and in three parts, like bowling, fielding and batting. So we could have better plays on our team and the overall performance. Our overall performance will be hopefully, inshallah, will go for the next game."



Whereas, being the inspiration of many, Mithali Raj hinted this World T20 might be the last one for her. "Well, I see that representing the country is the biggest motivation and inspiration no matter how many years you spend there wearing the India colours."



"But yes, when you also think that the team has gone through a lot of transition, and there are a lot of youngsters in the side, so at some point more than myself, whether I would be able to give the best or not, there are times when I think about the team, whether it is the right time to move forward, and I believe that now the team is settling, so it could probably be the last World Cup for me, the T20 format," she further added.
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