Cricket in India has been graced with some exceptional talent over the years, and among the finest are the all-round women cricketers who bring a rare blend of batting and bowling skills to the game. These players not only contribute with both bat and ball but also inspire future generations with their versatility and dedication. Here are the top 5 all-round women cricketers from India who have left an indelible mark on the sport:
Deepti Bhagwan Sharma, an outstanding all-round player from India, is well-known for her right-arm off-break bowling and left-handed batting. She is ranked fourth in the ICC cricket rankings among all-rounders and has the record for the highest individual score in a women’s ODI with 188 runs. In addition, Deepti is the only female cricket player to have taken five wickets in a row while allowing just 20 runs; she took six wickets against Sri Lanka.
Indian left-handed hitter Smriti Shriniwas Mandhana was the sole member of the team to be nominated to the 2016 ICC Women’s Championship Team. The BCCI named her the MA Chidambaram Trophy winner for 2013–14, citing her as one of the best female cricket players. She was awarded a contract in 2016 by the Women’s Big Bash League’s Brisbane Heat.
One of the best batters in women’s cricket history is Mithali Dorai Raj, the former captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket team. The record for most runs in women’s international cricket is held by her. In the second and last Test match against England, she amassed an incredible 214 runs at the age of 19. Mithali led India to victory in their first-ever Test series in England in 2006 and to their first-ever World Cup final in 2016.
Known as the “Bowling Warhorse” of the Indian Women’s Cricket team, Jhulan Nishit Goswami was an all-round player from 2002 to 2022. As the fastest bowler in the history of women’s cricket, she currently holds the title. In addition to breaking multiple records, Jhulan has won major honors including as the Padma Shri awarded to India in 2012, the Arjuna Award in 2010, and the ICC Women’s Player of the Year in 2007.
Against Pakistan in the 2009 Women’s Cricket World Cup, Harmanpreet Kaur, an all-rounder for the Indian women’s cricket team, made her ODI debut at age 20. In 2017, she received the Arjuna Award. She became the first Indian cricket player to play 100 International T20 matches against South Africa in 2019. She also got a century in a Women’s T20 International in 2018.
The post Power, Precision, and Prowess: Celebrating India’s Top 5 All-Round Women Cricketers appeared first on Cricket Country.
