So Near, Yet So Far Indian Women Fall At Final Hurdle

The lack in concentration and an injury resulted in the downfall of Punam, who scored 86 runs. This is when the remaining players pressed the panic button and folded one after another.

- Kumar Abhishek

The Indian fans were cheering for the Indian women’s cricket team with a clear objective of seeing them lifting the trophy in the finale against England. They were on course of a sensational win but a sudden turn of affairs proved too nasty for the ladies and they slipped at the last hurdle, handing the trophy to English women. The downfall was so dramatic that it took a while for everyone to come to terms with reality and in the end a dream was shattered for many more years to come. The journey was not an easy one as Team India had to go through qualifying rounds to ensure its entry in the event. Winning four consecutive matches made them the darling of the masses but they slipped a bit thereafter but an inspirational effort in the last ODI against New Zealand and then in the semis against the mighty Aussies saw Women in Blue going through the final. The last battle took a toll on them and they surrendered the best looking opportunity and ended up as the runners up. Here are five things which the Indian team did wrong in the title shot against England.

POOR FIELDING

The women’s team was fabulous when it comes to fielding in the first half of England’s innings but they got complacent in the later stages of the game. Easiest of the run-out chances were missed while there were fumbles, which allowed the rivals to sneak through singles and doubles. The situation could have been different had the Indian players remain alert throughout fifty overs. Fielding is one of the most important aspects of the game and any slip-up in this department is bound to haunt the culprits and this is what happened with the Indian team.

ORDINARY BOWLING EFFORT