India skipper Mithali Raj is confident about the hosts putting up their best show in the Women's World Cup but felt the hosts would have no upper hand in the tournament besides the weather and home support, with pitches at every venue likely to benefit batsmen more than bowlers, says a report in The Times Of India, adding that India's first match against the West Indies, on Thursday, also doubles up as the tournament opener.
"The only advantage that we would have (as host nation) is having better idea about the conditions. During the practice games, the wickets we saw were quite flat. It is very helpful for batsmen with likely scores to go between 250 and 300. So, the weather can be our only advantage. It is humid here and our players have got used to the conditions with training camps in Mumbai," Mithali said.
"On a flat track, big scores are bound to happen. The bowling needs to be tightened up definitely, but the one area that will be crucial in such games will be fielding. The wicket will not change much during the match, so fielding will be the key," she explained.
According to a report in The Hindu, West Indies women’s team skipper Merissa Aguilleira doesn’t want to underestimate hosts India in the upcoming Women’s World Cup even though they won the bilateral series against Mithali Raj and Co last year.
“Definitely, the tournament in West Indies was a good one. It was fought well by both teams. I think the team has been performing very well. They have developed and played a lot of cricket. I don’t think you can underestimate any of the teams, even India. We just have to continue to do what we do and just stick to the basics,” she told reporters at the press conference. West Indies had defeated visitors 2—1 during their bilateral series early last year.
Meanwhile another report in The Hindu says the ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 brings an array of top stars who have dominated the 50-over format by their sheer consistency. In recent times a handful of them have proved to be game-changers with blistering knocks and clever bowling.
The 10th edition of the competition will be inaugurated here on Thursday with a Group A day/night match between India and the West Indies at the Brabourne Stadium.
This is the third time India has been awarded the eight-team event and a number of new players have come into the spotlight after India last played host in 1997.
England’s Charlotte Edwards is set to play her fifth World Cup and Sarah Taylor, India’s Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, Australia’s Jodie Fields, Alex Blackwell and Lisa Sthalekar and New Zealand’s Sara McGlashan have shown the commitment and made the game popular among women.
The 10th edition of the ICC Women’s World Cup to be played in Mumbai and Cuttack will commence with hosts India taking on the West Indies in a daynight game here at the iconic Cricket Club of India on Thursday.
According to a report in Deccan Chronicle, the Indians, led by the world’s top ranked batter in Mithali Raj will play defending champions England on Sunday in their second and face Sri Lanka in their last Group A game on Tuesday.
Group B matches comprising Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan have been shifted to Cuttack following objections to Pakistan’s team presence in Mumbai. With three teams advancing from each group to the Super Six stage, India should not find it too difficult to cross the first hurdle.
It is likely that England, India and the unheralded West Indies should move to the next stage beginning from February 8 considering Sri Lanka are the weakest team. While the Charlotte Edward-led England, favourites to win here began preparing for the tournament immediately post the T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka last year, India’s preparation have been muted.