Richa Ghosh Reflects on India's Historic World Cup Victory and Her Role as Finisher

Building Trust and Clarity in the Team

Richa Ghosh, the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter, believes that India's World Cup-winning squad was founded on trust and a clear understanding of roles, particularly her own as a finisher, as designated by head coach Amol Muzumdar.

After falling short in the finals twice, India finally clinched their first World Cup title by defeating South Africa, led by Laura Wolvaardt, by 52 runs in front of a vibrant crowd in Navi Mumbai.

In an interview on JioStar's Follow the Blues, the 22-year-old shared, "My primary responsibility was to conclude the innings effectively by scoring rapidly in the closing overs."

She emphasized, "Whenever I had the opportunity to bat, my goal was to apply the finishing touches, maintaining a high strike rate to pressure the opposing bowlers."

Richa, who scored a quickfire 34 runs off 24 balls while batting at No. 7, helped propel India to a total of 298/7, while South Africa managed only 246 in response.

The Impact of Coaching and Personal Growth

She praised coach Amol Muzumdar for fostering an environment where every player understood their specific roles.

"Amol sir clarified everyone's responsibilities within the team," she noted.

"For me, it was about playing fearless cricket, seeking big shots, and finishing the innings on a high note," she added, mentioning how Muzumdar's encouragement to "take time to settle in" bolstered her confidence to leverage her strengths under pressure.

Richa, who often entered the game during the final overs, revealed that she had diligently prepared for the tournament by balancing aggression with patience.

"Before the World Cup, I focused on spending more time at the crease and building my innings. When I got the chance to play, I aimed for grounded shots and ensured I didn’t squander my wicket," she explained.

"It was crucial for me to keep the scoreboard moving with singles and maintain stability at one end. That was my primary focus," she added, noting her impressive tally of 235 runs across eight innings, which placed her among the top five run-scorers for the team.

Setting Records and Celebrating Victory

Her strike rate of 133.52 was the highest among Indian players, and she matched the record for the most sixes (12) in a single edition of the Women's World Cup, joining West Indies' Deandra Dottin.

Richa's strategy remained straightforward: "My main job was to finish the innings strongly by scoring quickly in the final overs. Whenever I got the chance to bat, my focus was on applying the finishing touches."

She reiterated, "I aimed to maintain a high strike rate and put pressure on the opposition bowlers. Scoring those extra runs alleviates pressure on our team and enhances our chances of winning."

Coming from a family of cricket, Richa's talent was recognized at a young age, making her domestic debut for Bengal under the guidance of the legendary Jhulan Goswami.

"Jhulan didi has been instrumental in my journey. She has always been there to guide me, even as I began playing for India. She taught me how to adapt my game to various situations and provided invaluable advice for my development as a player," Richa shared.

The Joy of Winning and Team Spirit

As the team celebrated after Harmanpreet Kaur's catch sealed the victory, Richa described the moment as "incredible."

"We were so overwhelmed that we didn’t even know how to celebrate! Harman didi was speechless, just pure joy. When Deepti didi took that last wicket, even she couldn’t comprehend that we had actually won the World Cup. We were all just living in that moment, soaking it all in before it truly sank in," she recalled.

The triumph also revealed a long-kept secret: their self-composed team song, which they spontaneously performed on the pitch, quickly going viral as the players sang and danced with the World Cup Trophy at the center.

"We created our team song a few series ago, something we really wanted. But we agreed to only sing it and reveal it to the world after lifting the World Cup trophy," she explained.

"Every player contributed to it in some way. So, the moment we won at the DY Patil Stadium, we knew we had to sing it right there on the ground. It was a magical feeling," she concluded.