Indian women's cricket team on the path to making history
By beating the title favorites and defending champions Australia in the ICC Women's World Cup semis, the women in blue have essentially turned the stubborn Indian heads stuck on opposite fence of the sport. As the Mithali Raj-led side await greater glory, we look at top performers and record-breakers who carried the hope of women's cricket into the final.
O captain, my captain !
At 34, Mithali Raj, the Indian team captain is a run-scoring machine who looks unstoppable. Stamping her mark in the world cricket, Raj stands as the highest run-scorer in women's ODI having scored 6000+ runs (current- 6173). She has 6 ODI tons, 49 half centuries to her name and most 50 plus scores in a calendar year in women's ODIs.
The youngest cricketer to score a ton
Mithali Raj is the youngest centurion in the history of women's ODIs (114*) at the age of 16 years and 205 days. In a remarkable way she scored this on her ODI debut in 1999 against Ireland.
The formidable Jhulan Goswami
Standing tall with Mithali in the top echelons of world cricket is Jhulan Goswami with her formidable bowling attack. Jhulan scripted history as the highest wicket-taker in women's ODIs with 192 wickets (as of today). Having made her debut in 2002, the fast bowler from West Bengal has an average of 22.18 and a economy of 3.24.
Deepti Sharma, the all-round prodigy
Deepti Sharma, the 19-year-old all-rounder, already entered the record books for the highest ODI opening partnership (320 runs), with Poonam Raut. She also holds the record of the second highest score in women's ODIs (188). The youngster who debuted in 2014, also contributes with the ball and has 40 wickets in her kitty. In the semis against Australia, she scalped three wickets.
When Harmanpreet Kaur destroyed Aussie bowling
Harmanpreet Kaur with her brilliant display of 171* off 115 balls during the semis against Australia played the major role in putting India in the World Cup final. Her knock was hailed as the best ever played by an Indian woman in limited-overs cricket. Kaur is the first Indian cricket - male or female - to be signed by the Big Bash League, Australia.
Notable mentions
Smriti Mandhana proved her mettle with two back-to-back impressive innings in the beginning of the World Cup. The 21-year-old left-hander incidentally was the only player to be named in the ICC Women's Team of the Year named last year. Rajeshwari Gayakwad in her first match of the 2017 World Cup finished with a career best of 5 for 15, against New Zealand.
