'The nine runs regret will remain forever'

Jhulan gets promotion after World Cup super show

Fast bowler Jhulan Goswami was on Friday promoted by her employers, Air India following the Indian women cricket team's impressive runner-up finish in the ICC World Cup.

"The Air India CMD had called me in Delhi and I was offered the promotion from (Deputy Manager)," Goswami told PTI after her arrival in Kolkata on Friday evening.

For Jhulan, who claimed 3/23 to restrict England to 228/7 in the final, there will be a few months' break now before India set its sight on next year's Women's World Twenty20 in the West Indies.

"We've been playing non-stop cricket so at the moment there will be a break. Next year, we have World Twenty20 and we will prepare for that as a team," she said.

Women's IPL may be a possibility after their World Cup show and Jhulan said: "Of course I will be available as a player. I'm still fit enough to play in IPL, if at all it happens."

Mithali Raj and Co's dream World Cup run was halted by England with a shocking nine-run loss in the final.

"The nine runs regret will remain forever. We dominated the match for 85 per cent but they snatched the match with their show in the death overs. This opportunity will never come again. We will have to start from zero again," Jhulan said.

"Many (senior players) may not be around next time. I will try my best but cannot say at the moment as four years is a long time," she said.

"But the World Cup has taught us how to be mentally tough. This will show women's cricket a new direction, quite similar to what happened in Australia and England."

Jhulan was a member of the 2005 women's World Cup team who had also finished runners-up losing to Australia by 98 runs.

"We did not get that much coverage (that time). The Women's Cricketers' Association also did not have the money to get so much publicity," she said.

"But the way the ICC has promoted this time, it's the best World Cup and the facilities were at par with men's World Cup," she concluded.