Cricket has always held a special place among Indian fans. Though men’s cricket has primarily enjoyed the limelight, these days women cricketers are finally getting their share of recognition and fame in the country. Their stories of success are an inspiration for the future generation of girls all over the country. Some of the top women cricketers in the world hail from India. Their struggle in the male-dominated game and rise to fame is nothing short of heroic. Here are 10 such women cricketers from India who have become a legend in their rights.
10 Best Indian Women Cricketer
Here is a list of 10 Indian women cricketers who have gained a notable place in the history of Indian cricket:
- Mithila Raj
She is considered the best batter ever with over 8000 international runs and counting. She debuted in 1999 with a century. At 19, during her third match, she scored 214 runs against England. In the past couple of years, she has become a household name resonating with Indian Women’s cricket.
- Jhulan Goswami
She is one of the fastest bowlers of all time in women’s cricket. Jhulan Goswami was the ICC Women Cricketer of the Year in 2007 with 200 ODI wickets, 50 T20 wickets, and 40 test wickets. She also got the Padma Shri grant for being the best skipper of India in October 2008.
- Harmanpreet Kaur
She is an all-rounder in Indian women’s cricket and a commendable batsman and bowler. She is also one of the first two Indian cricketers to mark the Big Bash League contract with Sydney Thunder in Australia. She had hit three sixes, and two fours in her debut game.
- Purnima Rau
She is a former Indian women cricketer hailing from Hyderabad. She is known for her batting skills and is also one of the principal Indian women players who attempted to exploit the 15-over field restrictions. She is a middle-order batsman who also served as the opener in the later years.
- Subhangi Kulkarni
Subhangi Kulkarni played as a leg-spinner and a right-handed hitter for the Indian Women’s Cricket team. She debuted in 1976 against West Indies. Her ODI debut was in 1978 against New Zealand. Her international career was of 15 years in which she scored 1047 runs and an average of 98 wickets.
- Smriti Mandhana
Smriti Mandhana came from a cricketing background- watching her father and sibling play at an area level. At the age of 9, she was selected for Maharashtra under 15 group and within two years she was playing for the under 19 groups. She was also the first Indian lady at the age of 17 to score a twofold hundred and made 224 in a match between Maharashtra and Gujarat at the state level.
- Anjum Chopra
Anjum Chopra has proven equally skilled before and behind the wicket. She is not only an excellent batter but also skilled as a wicketkeeper or in the slip. She is also an opener and was presented with the Arjuna Award after playing a significant role in India’s third straight Asia Cup-winning.
- Shikha Pandey
Hailing from Goa, the engineer-turned-cricketer started her career by playing for Goa Cricket Association. She is a fast bowler in the Indian Women Cricket team today. She also fulfilled her dream of joining IAF and presently continues her career as a cricketer as well as Air Traffic Controller for IAF.
- Veda Krishnamurthy
Veda Krishnamurthy is a right-handed batsman hailing from Karnataka and made her ODI debut in 2011. She is a middle-order batsman on the Indian Women’s Cricket team and has played a significant role in ensuring many wins for her team since the beginning of her career.
- Neetu David
Neetu David is a left-arm spinner for the Indian Women’s Cricket Team. She is a stand-out among the Indian women cricketers and has brought about numerous successes for her team.
The stories of these top women cricketers of India get told and re-told to every student at the top sports schools in Kolkata and beyond. For all future girls looking up to take up cricket professionally, they serve as an inspiration.