India captain Mithali Raj said now was time to “create the base” of a female equivalent to the Indian Premier League after her side’s hopes of Women’s World Cup final glory were snatched away by England at Lord’s. But on the same Lord’s ground where India’s men had won an inaugural World Cup title back in 1983, they lost their last seven wickets for just 28 runs to be bowled out for 219 with eight balls to spare. The pace bowler’s match haul of six for 46 was also the best individual return in any Women’s World Cup final. “Everybody was very nervous and I think that resulted in our defeat,” Raj, the all-time leading run-scorer in women’s one-day internationals told reporters. It’s a World Cup final, we knew if we held our nerve we would be in with a chance but it did feel like it was slipping away at 190 for three.

Source: Hindustan Times July 24, 2017 03:45 UTC