T20 can provide boost to Women Cricket: Mithali

Bangalore, Aug 25 (UNI) Indian Women Cricket Team Captain Mithali Raj today opined that T20 format can give the necessary boost to Women cricket with spectators complaining the fairer sex playing a slow game.

"This is a good concept. It can do more good for Women Cricket and more and more matches should be played, not only to attract spectators but also make players more fit," she said.

Talking to reporters before the team's departure to England, where it plays five ODI and five T20 games against England in a tour beginning from August 30, she expressed confidence that her team would putting up brave fight.

"English women may have won a Ashes series recently but we are also competitive and optimistic about the outcome in the series," she said.

Mithali said that adjusting to weather may not be a problem for the players since it was summer in England. Moreover most of the players had played in England earlier, excepting medium pacer Niranjana.

The squad had a 10-day camp at Infosys grounds in Mysore.

Replying to a question, Coach Shantha Rangasawamy said that "we will neither indulge in sledging nor expect England players in such activities." The Squad: Maithali Raj (Captain), Jhulan Goswami, Jaya Sharma, Karuna Jain (wk), Sulakshana Naik (wk), Hemlata Kala, Rumeli Dhar, Asha Rawat, Priyanka Roy, Devika Palshikar, Neetu David, Seema Pujare, Gauhar Sultan, Amita Sharma, Snehal Pradhan and Niranjana Nagarajan.

Coach: Shanta Rangaswamy. Manager: Sandhya Agarwal.

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