“One of the great things about this team is we never give up” © Getty Images
Anya Shrubsole
“I’m a little bit lost for words, if I’m honest. Just an unbelievable game. It looked for a minute like we were out of it, but one of the great things about this team is we never give up. Alex Hartley got that vital wicket of Harmanpreet and we never looked back from there.
“It’s more that you don’t want the game to be ruined by rain. It was just an amazing game from start to finish, and I think it’s a very fitting final for what’s been a brilliant World Cup. It’s a World Cup final, there’s a huge amount of pressure, so much pressure on new batters coming in. We never let the run rate get away from us, even though we weren’t getting wickets, so we knew if we got a couple, we’d be right in the game. It’s a dream, and a dream you never think is going to come true. Here, watching my dad play in the club national knockouts, so to be back 16 years later as a World Cup winner is just amazing.”
Heather Knight
“I can’t stop smiling, to be honest. So proud of that group of girls, they have been outstanding. We’ve made it hard for ourselves this tournament, but I couldn’t care less. We won those really tight games, which is something we wanted to work on over the last 18 months. Back in Delhi feels like a long time ago, but it was the making of this team. All we’ve done in the last 18 months is to deal with situations like that. Anya Shrubsole, what a hero. What a day.
“Credit to India, they had a brilliant tournament and played really well. Punam was batting outstandingly and they got some partnerships together. I thought if we hung in there and let the rate stay around five or six that we’d always be in the game. The girls really held their nerve. We took our catches at the end, apart from that little one by Jenny Gunn which was slightly stressful, but the main thing is we got over the line and have got the trophy. Just want to thank the crowd, the support has been fantastic throughout the tournament. Hopefully after our success, we can grow the game in this country. There has never been a better time for girls to play.”
Tammy Beaumont
“Robbo (the coach) had to remind me that I’ve been doing well. So many of the girls stood up. It’s been a great team performance. Myself and Lauren got off to a good start, but we thought we threw it away. But our batting order has been superb. Jenny Gunn and Katherine Brunt were excellent. Full credit to Raut and Kaur, they put on an exceptional partnership. In my head, it was never in doubt, we knew one wicket could change things. It was back in April that we all came here to the Lord’s tour. Lot of hard work went into it, all for just this moment.”
Sarah Taylor
“Probably there couldn’t have been a better comeback, proud of the girls. It’s been a roller coaster year for me, but to be part of this team is simply incredible. For me, it was a case of being healthy and see how I go. I was just lucky to be here for the World Cup. India played exceptionally well. Good luck to them in the future. Heather Knight’s such a calm character.”
Alex Hartley
“I can’t believe it. This is what we’ve been working for. It’s a dream come true for all of us. I’ve never stepped onto Lord’s before in a game. Absolutely fantastic that we managed to pull it off. Anya Shrubsole, what a hero.”
Laura Marsh
“Think I bowled okay, but the way Anya bowled was fantastic. I think in a final, every run is really important. We always knew we’re right in the game. Simply brilliant.”
Fran Wilson
“We knew we’d be able to pull through. We’ve done it before. Credit to Anya. I can’t tell you what was going through my head. Past experiences, plus knowing 20,000 people behind you kept us calm. It was amazing, an incredible experience. I can’t imagine life after the World Cup.”
Jenny Gunn
“It’s brilliant to be here at Home of Cricket, in front of family and friends. This is one of the best teams I’ve played with.”
England coach Mark Robinson
“India played really well, but I’m so proud of the girls. We knew we were 30 light, but we knew we were always in the game. It was a fighting score. This team has a lot of heart. The game’s been incredibly backed by the ICC. What an atmosphere today. I really enjoyed every minute of it. The girls have been really well-behaved this trip. There’s going to be some celebration tonight.”
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo