India women’s team skipper Mithali Raj said the decision to call off the one-off Test against England with 12 overs still remaining on the final day on June 19 was something that surprised her, as all along the captains of both teams wanted to continue playing.
Powered by a gritty unbeaten 80 by debutant Sneh Rana and her unfinished 104-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Taniya Bhatia (44 not out), India stole a draw in the one-off women’s Test against England on June 19.
After Shikha Pandey was dismissed, Sneh and Taniya buckled down and batted for 30.4 overs to save the Test for India.
Though no result was possible, Mithali was surprised how the match could be called off without her knowing about it.
“We wanted to continue the play and that’s what we informed the opposite captain, and they continued,” Mithali was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo on Saturday.
“But then I was told by Sneh Rana because even I was a little on the back foot when I saw the bails coming off and them walking out. So I asked her what happened and she said it was a bad light call taken by the umpire.
“That’s what they were told. But then I saw the teams were congratulating (each other), so the umpires told that since both the teams are congratulating, it’s pretty much taken that the match is over. That’s what I was told by Sneh Rana. So that’s what happened,” said Mithali.
However, England skipper Heather Knight said the message couldn’t be conveyed to Mithali as she “couldn’t be found”.
“It became apparent to us that it was going to end in a draw, so we asked to shake hands with the Indian team. We couldn’t actually find Mithali, so I think eventually a message got back to us that we were to carry on, which was fine.
“And then the umpires took us off for bad light and then the Indians came over and shook our hands. So that was what happened,” said Heather.
