Mamata wishes India women's cricketers luck for World T20 next year

Kolkata, Aug 8 (IANS) Praising the Indian women's cricket team for its performance in the recently concluded World Cup in England, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday wished it well for the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 in 2018.

"We congratulate them for the upcoming T20 World Cup in advance and we believe they would be victorious. Nothing is impossible," Banerjee said after handing over a special award to seasoned campaigner Jhulan Goswami at the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) annual awards ceremony here.

The sixth edition of the ICC Women's World Twenty20 will be held in the West Indies from November 2 to November 25 next year.

Banerjee said Jhulan and her fellow teammates "shook the world" with their performance in the World Cup and won people's hearts despite their narrow nine-run defeat by hosts England in the final. 

"Jhulan and the rest of the women's cricket team shook the world with their performance. What they have achieved is bigger than the victory. They won the people's hearts," she said.

The Chief Minister also heaped praise on former India captain and CAB President Saurav Ganguly, claiming his name would be remembered by the cricket lovers for many years to come.

"If anyone in the world is asked about cricket, the name of Bengal's Sourav Ganguly would definitely come up. His name will be remembered not just in the present but also in the distant future. His name will be in the history of cricket forever," she said.

She added that those honoured by the CAB at its annual awards ceremony on Tuesday would be honoured by the state later this year. 

"I would ask Minister of State for Sports and Youth Affairs Laxmi Ratan Sukla to take down the names of today's awardees. We will also provide them an award from the state government," she added.