World Cup win has set a benchmark, next goal to make winning a habit: Renuka Thakur

The Indian women's cricket team has set a benchmark with the World Cup triumph and the next goal for the side is to make winning a habit, said pacer Renuka Thakur after returning to her native village in Shimla district on Sunday.

Renuka, who was given a rousing welcome by her family members and villagers, visited the famous Hatkoti Temple near Rohru and sought blessings.

Interacting with the mediapersons, she said that "my hard work is yielding results but the credit goes to my mother and Bhupinder uncle who spotted my talent and supported me".

Renuka has inscribed a tattoo of her father on her hand which acts as motivation as it was the dream of her father Kehar Singh Thakur to see his kids excel in sports. Her father died when she was just three and it was her mother Sunita Thakur who raised Renuka and her brother single handedly.

"There was a lot of pressure as we had lost three matches back-to-back and the last three matches were crucial but we were hopeful of winning the world cup," she said and added that victory in the ICC event would push parents to encourage their children towards sports.

When asked about the interaction with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Renuka said that the he knew about all the players including her journey.

The cricketer said that Himachal was the first state to assure a job. On November 3, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had called Renuka and told her that an award of Rs 1 crore had been announced for the pacer.

Renuka's uncle, Bhupinder Singh Thakur, who spotted the talent in the young girl and supported her said that her success is the result of 13-14 years of sheer hard work.

He also expressed his gratitude to Renuka's coach at Dharamsala cricket academy Pawan Sen and her trainer Veena Pandey.