T20 can give boost to Women Cricket: Mithali Raj

Bangalore, Aug 25 (UNI) India's captain Mithali Raj today opined that T20 format could give necessary boost to women's cricket with spectators complaining that the fairer sex play a slow game.

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

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

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

Mithali said adjusting to the 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, except medium pacer Niranjana.

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

To a question, Coach Shantha Rangasawamy said ''we will neither indulge in sledging nor expect England players to do so.'' 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.

UNI MSP RS PY NS2043