India’s dynamic all-rounder Richa Ghosh is now aiming for T20 World Cup glory, following her pivotal role in India’s historic ODI World Cup triumph — achieved despite playing through a hairline fracture.
The 22-year-old from Siliguri, West Bengal, believes that the Women’s Premier League (WPL), where she represents Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), will be key preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup in England next year.
“The T20 World Cup is going to be very important for me. We’ve already ticked off the one-day World Cup, but now it’s time to do the same with the T20 World Cup,” Ghosh told Reuters in a video call.
“Before that, we have the WPL, and my focus is to help my team win, no matter the tournament or format.”
Retained by RCB alongside stalwarts Smriti Mandhana and Ellyse Perry, Ghosh revealed that the team is already strategizing for another strong campaign after their 2024 title win.
“I can’t share everything right now, but our main focus is to bring home a second trophy,” she added.
World Cup Heroics
Ghosh etched her name into the record books during India’s ODI World Cup victory, matching Deandra Dottin’s record of 12 sixes in a single tournament. Playing through a finger injury, she delivered clutch performances — scoring 26 off 16 balls in the semi-final against Australia and a vital 34 off 24 balls in the final against South Africa, which India won by 52 runs.
“Every player faces ups and downs, but how you handle the lows defines you,” Ghosh reflected.
“When I play for my country, nothing else matters. The physios and support staff trusted me completely, and that belief helped me overcome my injury.”
Since making her international debut in 2020, Ghosh has built an impressive résumé — including the 2023 U-19 World Cup, 2022 Asian Games gold, and 2022 Commonwealth Games silver. Looking ahead, she hopes to make her mark in Test cricket as well.
“There’s a unique satisfaction in playing red-ball cricket — you get more time to build your innings. I want to score big and perform better in that format too,” she said.
