Sport - Cricket

‘We can challenge Australia’

CHENNAI: After triumphing in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, Indian captain Mithali Raj believes her side can challenge World champion Australia in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2009.

“It was a nice start to what is going to be a tough season for us. I think we are a good enough team to give a tough time to Australia,” said the 25-year-old, who led the team that lost the 2005 World Cup final to Australia.

“The World Cup is still nine months away and every team will try to improve its performance. As I see things, our chances in the tournament will depend on how well we prepare according to Australian conditions and how quickly we adapt to those conditions.”

Mithali said the strategy for the Asia Cup was formulated keeping in mind the quadrennial event.

“We know that the World Cup will be staged in conditions that will be friendlier to the fast bowlers, and that’s precisely why we gave more opportunities to the fast bowlers without relying heavily on the spinners,” she said.

“I am happy to say that we have a good pool of players with whom we will work over the next nine months not only to give them the required experience but also to find the combination which will help us in Australia.”

Mithali, who during the course of the Asia Cup became the first Indian and the fifth overall to complete 3000 ODI runs, said it was “great honour and privilege to be bracketed with some of the biggest and most respected names in women’s cricket.”

Opening bowler Jhulan Goswami was the other Indian cricketer who reached a landmark in Sri Lanka.

She became the second Indian (after Neetu David) and the fourth overall to take 100 ODI wickets.

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