Keen to avoid qualifiers for 2021 World Cup: Mithali Raj

The coming month will see the focus on the championship with two more series featuring teams in the upper tiers of the points table—Australia host New Zealand and India host England in series starting February 22

After thumping the White Ferns 2-1 in their own backyard, the Indian eves are aiming to avoid qualifiers for the 2021 World Cup by staying in the top four of the ICC table. Indian women are currently placed at number 3 in the ODI rankings and are set to host England in the next assignment of the championship cycle later this month.

Ahead of the upcoming home-series, Indian woman ODI skipper Mithali Raj has stated that the series win over New Zealand and they are eyeing on getting directly qualified.

“The last time we played the Qualifiers, but this time we want to have direct qualification for 2021. With series against England and the Windies coming up, we will definitely look to get maximum points,” Mithali was quoted as saying by ICC.

“We did not have too many players who had the experience of the conditions with only Jhulan (Goswami) and me having toured here before. So winning two games here has given us a lot of confidence,” she said.

“Losing the third game, we have come down to number three in the rankings table but I am happy that India are in the top four,” she added.

The coming month will see the focus on the championship with two more series featuring teams in the upper tiers of the points table—Australia host New Zealand and India host England in series starting February 22.

These teams are the frontrunners to make the cut since New Zealand and four other top teams get direct entries to the premier event two years from now.