Richa Ghosh credits Harmanpreet and Smriti for helping her overcome a slim patch

Richa Ghosh credited Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and head coach Amol Muzumdar for continuing to support her and believing in her ability to bounce back. On Sunday, Richa played a crucial cameo of 34 runs to help India secure a a comprehensive 64-run victory over Pakistan at Edgbaston, Birmingham and will kick off their Women’s T20 World Cup campaign in style.

Richa entered the tournament on the back of a slender run with the bat, scoring just 140 runs from 10 innings at an average of 23.33 without registering a single half-century. The youngster revealed that during her difficult phase, she focused on improving through training and exercise while drawing confidence from the support of her seniors.

‘ADVICE HELPED ME STAY POSITIVE’

According to Richa, Mandhana, Harmanpreet and Muzumdar encouraged her to stay patient, trust her process and continue with her natural game rather than fretting about the lack of runs.

Also Read: Richa Ghosh as an opener? Harmanpreet Kaur in awe of Indian batter after cameo vs Pakistan

“Yes, that’s true. But at that time I was just focusing on my game because I knew I wasn’t getting enough time in the middle. Instead of worrying about it, I focused on what I could control. I worked harder, focused on practice and kept improving my game,” Richa told reporters.

“I thought it was okay if I wasn’t getting opportunities because I was batting well and felt in good touch even when the runs weren’t coming. These things happen in cricket. I also spoke to Harry and some of the seniors, including Smriti and the coach, about what I should do. They all told me not to worry, to continue with my natural game and stay focused.”

“This advice really helped me. It allowed me to stay positive, trust the process and keep working hard without putting too much pressure on myself,” added Richa.

Before the World Cup, Richa struggled in the warm-up match against West Indies where she bagged a duck. But she made amends with a knock of 68 runs against England in the second warm-up match, although India lost the match.

Richa will now look to build on his form when India lock horns with the Netherlands on Wednesday, June 17 at Headingley, Leeds.

– The end

Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

June 16, 2026 7:35 PM IST