New Delhi, Nov 6 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his interaction with the World Cup-winning Indian women's cricket team, commended the individual contributions of the players in their shared quest for the prestigious trophy. Among these players is wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh, who proudly holds both the U19 World Cup and WPL titles in her collection.

While speaking at his official residence on Lok Kalyan Marg, PM Modi focused on Richa’s accomplishments, stating, “Richa, you seem to win every match you participate in, don’t you? Richa gets opportunities everywhere.”

In response, Richa, blushing slightly, said, “I’m not sure, sir. However, during our under-19 days, as seniors, and in the WPL, we consistently brought home trophies.”

Despite playing the semifinal against Australia and the final with a hairline fracture in her left-hand middle finger, Richa showed remarkable resilience. This injury was sustained while keeping against New Zealand in the group stage, which forced her to miss the canceled match against Bangladesh.

“When we batted, we hit sixes. I believe Harmanpreet, Smriti, and others had faith in us. The entire team believed in us. In situations where we had fewer balls but needed more runs, that trust gave me the confidence that ‘you can do it’,” Richa expressed.

Team India had a rollercoaster tournament, initially winning two games but then losing three in a row. Nevertheless, they rebounded strongly, defeating New Zealand and Bangladesh in their last group matches before triumphing over the seven-time champions, Australia, in the semifinal.

On the subject of team unity during the challenging moments of the tournament, spinner Radha Yadav shared, “We lost three matches. However, the best part was that we stood together in defeat. We supported and communicated with one another. It was truly genuine. That’s why we were rewarded with this trophy.”

Responding, PM Modi remarked, “No, no, you’ve earned it through your dedication,” and inquired about their preparation for the major event.

Radha replied, “Sir, as you mentioned, we’ve been performing well in cricket for an extended period. We prepared for every circumstance — in terms of fitness, fielding, and skills. We had been diligently working on that for a while. And, as I mentioned, if everyone is united, things become easier. If someone is isolated, it becomes challenging to succeed.”

The PM then asked Radha, “I’ve heard that initially, you used your prize money to assist your father. Did he constantly encourage you?”

“Yes, always. I mean, it wasn’t easy for our family back then…” Radha replied.

Regarding India’s monumental achievement, all-rounder Sneh Rana told the PM, “Sir, it took immense effort. Our bowling coach, Avishkar, was instrumental in discussions about how to face batters. We strive to implement all the strategies discussed with the captain, vice-captain, and head coach. Thankfully, it was successful.”

“There are many matches where we might not succeed. Yet, we keep motivating ourselves to improve next time,” she added.