Winless in 1978 to Runners-Up Twice: Tracing India's Journey at Women's ODI WC
India have finished runners-up twice at the ODI Women's World Cup.
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Starting 6 March, in New Zealand, the Indian women’s cricket team, captained by Mithali Raj will begin their ODI World Cup campaign. Up first is arch-rivals and neighbours Pakistan. India have come close to winning the title twice, the first being in 2005 and then in the previous edition of the tournament in England, where the hosts won a closely contested final. In 2005, India lost the final to Australia at the Centurion.
In recent years the women’s cricket team have done well in limited-overs games reaching the final of the 2017 ODI World Cup and the 2020 T20 World Cup, and the semi-finals in the 2018 T20 World Cup.
Meanwhile for the senior players like Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami this is likely to be their last chance for glory in this tournament.
Here’s a look at how India have fared in previous editions of the ODI World Cup.
1978
After not being part of the inaugural edition of the World Cup in 1973, the Indian team debuted in 1978 and were also the hosts of the tournament. The World Cup that year had only four teams participating with Australia, defending champions England and New Zealand joining the hosts.
India, who were captained by by Diana Edulji, could not win any of their games. Shobha Pandit top scored for the hosts with 42 runs across 3 matches while Lopamudra Bhattacharj, Anjali Sharma and Edulji took two wickets each, the highest for India.
1982
New Zealand were hosting the tournament for the first time and there would be a fifth team in the mix - an international XI, along with the four previous teams. Australia were once again the champions with the format being changed in the tournament wherein there was a round-robin stage. The top two would then play the final.
India won four matches and finished fourth and were led by Shantha Rangaswamy. India wicketkeeper Fowzieh Khalili effected 20 dismissals in the 1982 World Cup, which is the most number of dismissals by a wicket-keeper in a single edition of the tournament.
1993
India missed the 1988 edition of the tournament and returned for the next one with Diana Edulji captaining the team this time. India won their first game against West Indies but were handed defeats by New Zealand, England and Australia.
India eventually managed to register only 4 wins, defeating Netherlands, Ireland and Denmark. They finished fourth on the table this time with the tournament being staged in the UK.
1997
This would be the second time India were hosting the tournament, and there were 11 teams in the mix, split into two groups. This was the edition when the games were reduced to 50 overs a side from 60.
India captained by Pramila Bhatt were in Group B with New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Netherlands for company. The hosts remained unbeaten in the group stage with the game against the Kiwis finishing in a tie, while the game against Sri Lanka was washed out. India then beat South Africa in the quarter-final in Patna after bundling the Proteas out for 80, before losing to eventual winners Australia in Delhi by 19 runs in the semis. It was India’s best performance in the tournament up until now.
2000
Back in NZ for another World Cup, India had a good run again before faltering at the knockouts. Captained by Anju Jain, India finished the group stage third as they began with wins against South Africa, Netherlands and England. That was followed by a couple of defeats against Australia and the hosts NZ before they swatted away the challenge of Ireland and Sri Lanka.
In the semis, the Kiwis skittled India out for 117 before chasing that down with ease and then going on to win the title.
Anjum Chopra was India's highest run-scorer with 267 runs from 8 innings at 38.14. It was also Mithali Raj's first World Cup and she shone on the big stage, scoring 152 runs from three matches at 76.
2005
Five years after her first appearance at the biggest stage, Mithali Raj captained India in South Africa, and took the team a step further, to finish runners-up for the first time ever. India were second in the group with four wins from seven games and the only defeat was against the defending champions NZ. The matches against Australia and Sri Lanka were washed out.
Australia, who topped the table, played India in the final and registered a comprehensive win on the day.
Mithali was the highest run-getter for India with 199 runs from 7 innings at an average of 49.75. Among the bowlers, left-arm spinner Neetu David bagged 20 wickets from 8 innings, the most by an Indian, averaging 8.35 and possessing an economy rate of 2.54.
2009
In Australia, the campaign wasn’t as impressive as Mithali Raj and co would have hoped for with the team only managing to get to the Super 6s. India won five of the seven games they played but couldn’t get the key wins at important points in the tournament. Mithali Raj, Amita Sharma and Priyanka Roy made up the Team of the Tournament.
India were in Group B and finished second behind England, with two wins out of three (losing to England). In the Super Sixes, India won against Australia and West Indies but lost to New Zealand. England and New Zealand topped the standings and moved into the final.
In the playoff match to make up the rankings, India lost to Australia by 3 wickets.
2013
With the World Cup being played in India, the hosts were expected to do well, but it was a terrible tournament for them as they were knocked out in the group stages itself. India, who were hosting the tournament after 16 years, won 1 out of 3 games in Group A. India won against WI but were defeated by England and Sri Lanka.
In the playoff match for 7th, India played Pakistan and a Mithali Raj century helped the hosts over the line.
2017
After the bad outing in 2013, India went to UK and had a brilliant tournament, finishing runners-up yet again, losing to England in a closely contested final at Lord’s. Harmanpreet Kaur’s assault on Australia in the semis was among the highlights of the tournament. The tournament brought women’s cricket more into the spotlight in India.
Mithali went on to clinch the title of highest run-getter in Women’s ODIs after the 2017 World Cup, while Deepti Sharma took 12 wickets and grabbed executed eight maidens nine matches.
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