Indian Raj "saddened" as the World T20's row intensifies

New Delhi – India cricket star Mithali Raj said Thursday
she was "deeply saddened" by accusations that she had made tantrums and
threatened to leave before being controversial dropped over the Twenty20
World Cup.

Raj, top scorer in the women's international
and the captain of one day of India, was left for the last time
Weekly semi-final defeat to England, setting off a high-level row with the team
Staff.

Coach Ramesh Powar lashed out at the veteran thresher for
"blackmail", among the information she had required to choose her
own batting position earlier in the tournament.

"I am deeply saddened and hurt by the asperities expressed
me. My commitment to the game and my 20 years of playing for my country ", Raj
tweeted on Thursday.

"Hard work, sweat, to no avail." Today, my patriotism
doubted, my skills questioned and everything that moves – it's the darkest day
of my life."

Raj hit two consecutive half-centuries at the tournament in the
The West Indies before missing the last group match of India against Australia due to a
knee injury.

She was declared fit on the eve of the English semifinal
but the selectors refused to bring her back. Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the T20, said
the selectors chose to stay with the "winning combination".

Raj, 35, sent a flaming letter to the Cricket Commission of India
distinguishing Powar and other officials, accusing them of bias and claiming that they
were trying to destroy his career.

Powar briefed Cricket Control Committee in India
(BCCI) Wednesday on the backstage tumult of the T20 tournament.

"I hope Mithali will stop blackmail, put pressure on
coaches and placing his interest before the team, "Powar writes in a
10-page post-tournament briefing for BCCI, seen by AFP.

"His attitude saddened me and it gave me a
impression that Mithali Raj comes first and then in India. She threw away a lot of
tantrums and created a lot of chaos ".

The BCCI has not yet commented on the issue.