"Focus was on applying finishing touches": Richa Ghosh opens up on her role in India's World Cup triumph

New Delhi [India], November 4 (ANI): India wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh opened up about how she transformed her approach to batting in the lead-up to the ICC Women's World Cup, which culminated in India's historic title triumph over South Africa in Navi Mumbai. The young Bengal cricketer played a key role in India's campaign, producing vital cameos throughout the tournament, including a blitz knock in the final.
Reflecting on her preparation before the World Cup, Ghosh said on JioStar, "Before the World Cup, I really focused on spending more time at the crease and building my innings. Whenever I got the chance to play, I concentrated on playing grounded shots and making sure I didn't throw my wicket away. For me, it was all about keeping the scoreboard ticking with singles and holding up one end. That's what I worked on the most."
Ghosh's consistency and explosive finishing ability stood out during the tournament. In eight matches, she amassed 235 runs at a stunning strike rate of 133.52, including a crucial 94 against South Africa in the League phase of the tournament.
Speaking about her role in the team, Ghosh said, "My main job was to finish innings strongly by scoring quickly in the final overs. Whenever I got the chance to bat, my focus was on applying the finishing touches. I aimed to maintain a high strike-rate and put pressure on the opposition bowlers. Scoring those extra runs reduces the pressure on our team and gives us a better chance to win."
In the World Cup final, Ghosh once again proved her worth with a vital cameo of 34 runs off 24 deliveries, striking three boundaries and two sixes to help India reach a commanding total.
Sharing insight into her batting mindset under pressure, the 22-year-old added, "My mindset is simple. Whenever I come to bat, if the ball is in my zone, I go for my shots. Hitting a boundary or a six in a pressure situation really helps release the tension. If it's a good delivery, I'm happy to take a single and target the next ball. That's the method I stick to."
Richa Ghosh's maturity with the bat and her ability to stay composed in high-pressure moments were pivotal to India's World Cup-winning campaign, marking her as one of the country's most promising talents for the future.
On Sunday at Navi Mumbai's DY Patil Stadium, India experienced euphoria with a 52-run triumph over South Africa. India powered its way to a commanding 298/7 on the back of Shafali Verma's fiery 87(78) and Deepti Sharma's composed run-a-ball 58. In reply, South Africa faltered on 246 in 45.3 overs, despite a counter-attacking 101(98) from captain Laura Wolvaardt. (ANI)