India suffered a 115-run loss against South Africa in the Women's World Cup in Leicester on Saturday.
India women cricket team's skipper Mithali Raj has called on her side to improve their fielding, especially catching, ahead of their much-anticipated clash against arch-rival Pakistan in the ICC Women's World Cup at County Ground, Derby, on Sunday.
India defeated England by eight wickets to record a consolation win in the women's T20 tri-series
The Indian women's cricket team would be aiming for quick recovery from a rare setback when it takes on South Africa in the fourth Twenty20 International, where a win would give the visitors an unbeatable series lead, in Centurion, on Wednesday.
Opener Smriti Mandhana led the chase for India with familiar panache after a feisty bowling performance that steered the side to a series-clinching eight-wicket triumph over New Zealand Women in the second one-dayer.
India paid the price for dismal batting as they went down to England by two wickets in a thrilling group league encounter of the ICC Women's World Twenty20, in Dharamsala, on Tuesday
In the lead-up to the World T20, India have hit good form, beating hosts Sri Lanka before blanking Australia A at home. What should give them additional confidence going into the opener is the wins against reigning champions West Indies and England in the warm-up matches.
With her big-hitting prowess, a rarity in women's cricket, 16-year-old Shafali Verma was bound to succeed at the highest level. However, a lot of improvement is needed for her to sustain the sensational six-month run she has enjoyed since making her India debut, feel her coach Ashwani Kumar and former India wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra, both of whom have tracked her nascent career closely.
'We need to work on our partnerships as batters'
Smriti Mandhana hit an unbeaten century to power India to an emphatic seven-wicket victory against West Indies, in the ICC Women's 50-overs World Cup, in Taunton, on Thursday.
Daniellie Wyatt helped England pull off a record chase and crush India by seven wickets in their second T20 triangular series match, in Mumbai, on Sunday.
For the world's women cricketers, financial parity with their male counterparts remains a distant dream but India's decision to boost the pay packets of its top female players is further evidence that the winds of change are blowing through the game.
Amit Shah digitally inaugurated the renamed Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in presence of late finance minister's family.
The series was lost but star opener Smriti Mandhana feels the Indian women's cricket team gained quite a lot from its recent tour of Australia, the biggest positive being the visiting bowlers' lion-hearted performance in the multi-format rubber.
The Indian women's team begins its three-ODI series against England at home on Friday in the absence of star player Harmanpreet Kaur, who has been ruled out of the series due to an ankle injury.
This is clearly a new India, one that displays temerity in plenty, and backs up intent with performance.
Indian women's cricket team would look to extend its domination in the shortest format and achieve a rare double series win
The 22-year-old played a crucial role in India's semi-final appearance at the ICC Women's World T20 in the West Indies, scoring 178 runs in five matches at a strike-rate of 125.35.
India will finish their home series against Sri Lanka on December 24 before leaving for South Africa on December 28. They are scheduled to play a two-day warm-up tie starting on December 30 before taking on South Africa in the first Test on January 5.
'This is the beginning of good times for women's cricket.'
The semi-final against Australia and if the Indian women are fortunate, Sunday's final will decide her place in history as a captain, though she has long secured her position in the Elysium of women's cricket, says Haresh Pandya.
Rajeshwari Gayakwad took a five-wicket haul to take India into the semi-finals of the ICC Women's World Cup with a 186-run win over New Zealand in Derby on Saturday.
On a day (Tuesday) when India's much-followed men's team succumbed to a humiliating defeat against New Zealand, the women's team won their opening encounter of 2016 ICC World T20 by a comprehensive 76-run margin against Bangladesh. In a chat with BCCI.TV ahead of India's World Twenty20 campaign, the captain of India's women's team and star batsman Mithali Raj spoke about the team's journey and analysed her team's strengths for the tournament.
Mithali Raj trained in classical dance for eight years until she decided one day it was time to follow her heart and exhibit footwork of another kind.
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