Team sports are so important for fulfilment & I’m especially sentimental about one such sport called Cricket. Like any other game the outcome is unpredictable and therefore stressful, and secondly, Cricket brings such pride & glory to billions of fans regardless of a win or loss. In that, it was quite a turnaround eventually for the Indian women players who missed winning their maiden World T20 title. I was holding on to my nerves as captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s squad were cruising remaining undefeated until they succumbed to reigning champions England in the semis. The surprise exclusion of Mithali Raj from the semis has been under the scanner quite obviously and her contribution could have made a difference, but unmindful of their loss, their journey has been the most inspiring for this World T20 and beyond.
- v New Zealand-W (India Women won by 34 runs)
- v Pakistan-W (India Women won by 7 wickets)
- v Ireland-W (India Women won by 52 runs)
- v Australia-W (India Women won by 48 runs)
- v England-W (England Women won by 8 wickets) (Semi-Finals)
Although India’s defeat was hard to digest & at such a crucial juncture, I just wish the Indian women’s team would win the title in the future, much like the juniors early this year.
But Mary Kom’s sixth gold win at the Women’s World Boxing Championship was stupendous. It was a record-equalling feat and she became the most successful woman boxer in the game’s history when she beat Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota in a unanimous 5-0 verdict in the 48kg category summit bout. This wasn’t surprising when you consider “Magnificent Mary’s” reputation in world boxing today although, since I don’t follow boxing I wasn’t aware of a tournament of this vast scale being organized and in India. Admittedly, I was depressed with the
