Hard Luck Indian Women's team.

I guess, it happened for the first time, that Indians were actually following ball to ball, a women's cricket match. The occasion was the final world cup match between England and India. India was the probable winner. The match went down the wire and one thing that happens pretty much always with us, happened here too. Indian batswomen lost it under pressure.

This was a big occasion. Also an important event, as it probably is the last chance of watching two great players of the game. Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami. I have been following women's cricket partly and these two names have stuck in my mind for a very long time. I remember watching Jhulan's bowling many years ago and felt like she is the Kapil Dev of the Women's cricket.

It was unfortunate to loose the finals. Our players couldn't hold up against the pressure, although there was no real reason to panic. We were cruising fine, until Punam got out LBW. It was a genuine wicket. But what followed after that was unnecessary. There was no need for Veda to try hitting lofted shot. Similar nature of hasty decisions taken by other players. They were hitting into fielder's hand and trying to get a run. I felt like the captain failed to reach upto players and give them direction on how to approach the game. She kind of left it on them to attempt to win the game. This reminded me of a world cup game way back sometime between Westindies and Australia. Westindies were cruising to win and just required some 30 odd runs with as good as 7 wickets in hands and many many overs to bowl. But then just dramatically, Australia managed to get all the wickets and reached the final.

Anyway, it hurt to loose the game and the world cup. But it brought many positives out. Now every one know that India women's team exist and they are too good to forget or ignore. Women's cricket match got viewers to an extent that Lords was full yesterday. I was happy to see the presence of Akshay Kumar in the stadium. Atleast few celebrities follow what they say.

All in all, a good show. Now BCCI should take efforts and make sure that the Indians keep getting some or the other updates of Indian team performance around the year regularly. That will help to get people hitched to Women's cricket automatically.

I wish Indian's Women cricket team and hope they perform even better to beat India's Men's team someday.