'We did not handle the pressure well': Jhulan Goswami recalls heartbreaking World Cup 2017 defeat

India fast bowler Jhulan Goswami has accepted that the Indian team was unable to handle the pressure of the big stage during the final of the 2017 World Cup.

India had impressed one and all by reaching the World Cup final but they ultimately lost to hosts England by just 9 runs due to a middle-order collapse in the chase.

Goswami stated that it was heartbreaking for the Indian team to not lift that World Cup and acknowledged the fact that the inexperienced Indian middle-order just couldn't handle the pressure that came with such a big occasion.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Jhulan Goswami said:

"That World Cup was very important for all of us because last couple of world cups we did not play well as a team. So definitely we wanted to do well but, unfortunately, the way we lost the match it was really heartbreaking. But if we get a similar opportunity I dont think so that we will do the same mistake. We could not handle the pressure in the middle."

Jhulan Goswami added:

"Most of the girls were playing their first big tournament you know, full house at Lords' and all of them supporting England. These things girls never faced earlier. Pressure was there on the field as well as off the field and we did not handle the pressure well thats why we lost the match , particularly in that middle order we could not handle the pressure."

Women's cricket flourished in India after 2017 World Cup: Jhulan Goswami

Keeping the negatives of the 2017 World Cup aside, Jhulan Goswami focussed on the positives that the mega event brought to the team. The pacer believes that India's performance in the World Cup helped them get much-needed recognition.

It was also from the 2017 World Cup that the Indian women's team began to perform consistently. They even made it to the final of the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup.

Addressing the positives, Jhulan Goswami said:

"But at the same time the positive thing that we saw was that after the 2017 World Cup womens cricket flourished in our country, People started to watch women's cricket very keenly. And since 2016-17 the women's cricket are also performing well consistently. In the last three world cups we played two finals. The progress of women's cricket after 2017 world cup is in the right direction and it will continue."

Although the thought of being so close to winning a World Cup still hurts Jhulan Goswami, she believes that the Indian women's team has learnt from the incident and has moved on.