Bangladesh stunned six-time champions India by three wickets in the final of Women’s Asia Cup on Sunday at the Kinrara Academy Oval.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s squad were favourites even before entering the finale of the tournament, but Bangladesh pulled off a dramatic win to clinch their maiden Asia Cup title.
However, what is unknown to many is that it was former Indian wicket-keeper batswoman Anju Jain played a pivotal role in Bangladesh’s glorious run.
Veteran Indian cricketer Anju Jain replaced former England all-rounder David Capel as Bangladesh’s coach and took over as the batting coach of the team on May 21.
“Joining Bangladesh was a fast-tracked move. The team was in bad shape and I was only looking to boost their morale,” Anju Jain told TOI.
Batting first and riding on Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s 56, India scored 112 for 7 wickets. Following the target, Bangladesh managed to get over the line in the final ball of their innings.
“This is a huge moment for the team and personally for me also. After the team returned from South Africa, I identified the areas that needed attention. It was a massive challenge, but I must compliment the girls as they made a genuine effort to implement every single thing that I pointed out,” Anju said.
Anju Jain had played eight Tests and 65 One Day Internationals (ODI) for India and also coached the Indian women for the 2012 World T20 and 2013 World Cup tournaments.