Mithali Raj scored 409 runs in the tournament. (Source: AP)
She might have finished on the losing end as captain of India for a second time but Mithali Raj was still named as skipper of the Team of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 on Monday. Other Indian players to make the list are Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma. This is the second time that Mithali has been named in the Team of the tournament at a World Cup (last was in 2009). The team was selected by Geoff Allardice, Ian Bishop, Charlotte Edwards, Snehal Pradhan and Lisa Sthalekar.
Mithali, 34, from Hyderabad possibly playing her final World Cup and came within ten runs of tasting glory at Lord’s on Sunday against England but a dramatic and heartbreaking collapse tarnished those hopes. She scored 409 runs in the tournament including an inspiring 109 run knock against New Zealand in a virtual quarterfinal to steer India to victory by a whopping 186 run margin. She added 36 runs in the semifinal against Australia which was dominated by Harmanpreet’s unbeaten 171 run knock. She didn’t get going in the final before perishing at just 17 runs while being run out at the striker’s end.
England provided the most number of players in the team including the Player of the tournament Tamsin Beaumont, Player of the final Anya Shrubsole, wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor and left-arm spinner Alex Hartley. There are three players from South Africa in the lineup including opener Laura Wolvaardt and bowlers Marizanne Kapp and Dane van Niekerk, with just one representative from six-time champions Australia in all-rounder Ellyse Perry.
TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT: Tamsin Beaumont (England), Laura Wolvaardt (South Africa), Mithali Raj (captain) (India), Ellyse Perry (Australia), Sarah Taylor (wicketkeeper), Harmanpreet Kaur (India), Deepti Sharma (India), Marizanne Kapp (South Africa), Dane van Niekerk (South Africa), Anya Shrubsole (England), Alex Hartley (England). Natalie Sciver (12th) (England)
