Former Indian women’s cricket team player Jhulan Goswami, who participated in the World Cup finals in 2005 and 2017, has reflected on the 2017 World Cup loss as the saddest moment of her cricketing career. Despite reaching the final twice, the Indian women’s team is yet to win a World Cup title. Goswami shared her thoughts on the difference between the 2005 and 2017 teams in an interaction with Anjum Chopra.
Having retired from all forms of cricket in 2022, Goswami’s farewell series holds special memories for her, as India clinched a 3-0 victory against England in the ODI series at Lord’s, the venue that held great significance for her. In her conversation on Anjum Chopra’s YouTube channel, Goswami expressed her nostalgia, saying, “No, it couldn’t have been better. Remember 2001, we had gone to England to watch a match.”
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Referring to the 2017 World Cup, Jhulan Goswami highlighted the missed opportunity for the Indian team in the final, stating, ” I never thought I am going to play at that Lord’s ground. Both of us played at Lord’s for the first time in 2006. 2017 was a great opportunity for us. That was a great platform; we played well as a team in that World Cup, but unfortunately, in the final, at the last moment, we couldn’t take the last step, and that was a very sad moment.”
In recent years, Team India has struggled to defeat Australia, the most successful side in World Cups. India faced defeat against the Meg Lanning-led Australian team in the finals of the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2020 T20 World Cup, as well as in the semifinals of the T20 World Cup 2023.
Jhulan Goswami also discussed the mindset of the Indian team during the 2017 World Cup and highlighted the driving force behind the Mithali Raj-led side, stating, “In 2005, there were quality players, and sharing the dressing room with them was a great learning experience. 2017 was different; the quality was less, but there was a lot of passion. We had the determination to win the tournament for women’s cricket because we were striving for progress.”
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As the Indian women’s cricket team continues to strive for a World Cup victory, players like Jhulan Goswami have paved the way and left a lasting impact on the sport. Their contributions and experiences serve as valuable lessons for the current generation of players, motivating them to aim for greater achievements in the future.
