ICC Women’s World Cup 2022: From Smriti Mandhana to Shefali Verma know your India women stars – India Women’s team will be seen in action in the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup 2022. The team boasts of some quality players such as Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, and Jhulan Goswami. It also has some fearless youngsters such as Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh. Follow Women’s World Cup 2022 on InsideSport.IN for more updates.
Mithali Raj is the captain of the team and is the leading run-scorer in women’s game in ODI format. Goswami is the leading wicket-taker in the 50-over format and is India’s go-to bowler. Here at InsideSport, we take a look at the players and their recent contributions ahead of the showpiece event.
ICC Women’s World Cup 2022: From Smriti Mandhana to Shafali Verma- Know your India women heroes
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1:Mithali Raj (captain)
The leader of the ship and India’s best batter Mithali will yet again have to bulk of the run-scoring if the team stands a chance to lift the trophy. The batter is in sublime form as she has scored 503 in 11 games in 2021. The right-hand batter also notched an unbeaten 54 in the fifth ODI against New Zealand and enabled a victory for India.
Overall the 39-year-old has scored 7623 runs at an average of 51.85 in 225 matches that she has played.
2: Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-captain)
All-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur returned to form in the last ODI against New Zealand. She scored her first fifty in over four years and looked lethal. Kaur continued that form against the warm-up match against South Africa and scored a hundred. Kaur has an appetite to score huge runs in ICC events as her 171 against Australia and 100 in T20 World Cup 2018 is proof.
3: Smriti Mandhana
Smriti Mandhana bagged the ICC Cricketer of the year award in 2021. The southpaw scored 855 in 21 matches across formats and solidified her reputation at the top. Mandhana has the second-best strike rate for India batters and her record in run-chases is phenomenal. This will be the second 50-over World Cup for the southpaw.
ICC Women’s World Cup 2022: From Smriti Mandhana to Shafali Verma- Know your India women heroes
4: Shafali Verma
India opener Shafali Verma is one of the most destructive openers going around in the world. She made her debut in ODIs in 2021 and has so far looked fearless. The teenager’s strike rate of 76 is a massive boost for India. Her ability to dominate bowlers in the power play is an X factor for India in the showpiece event.
5: Deepti Sharma
All-rounder Deepti Sharma is one of the vital players for India in the ODI format. Her finishing abilities and economical bowling in the middle overs is a massive asset. Sharma is pretty flexible with bat and can bat at higher up the order as well. The southpaw has played 69 ODIs and has scored 1720 runs and has taken 79 wickets as well.
6: Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper)
Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh was a revelation during the five-match ODI series against New Zealand. She scored two fifties and was the team’s best batter. Like Shafali, Ghosh is an aggressive player and fearless striker of the ball. The right-hand batter can also go bang from the ball one. Ghosh is one player to watch out for during the World Cup.
7: Yastika Bhatia
Another youngster Yastika Bhatia has grabbed her opportunities whenever she has presented with one. Bhatia made her ODI debut against Australia in 2021 and scored 103 in three games. Her calm temperament and stroke play was lauded by one all. The southpaw also made fifty in a warm-up match against West Indies.
8: Taniya Bhatia (wicketkeeper)
Taniya Bhatia is one of the best wicketkeepers currently in the women’s game. Her track record is flawless. She is superb behind-the-stumps to spinners and hardly misses any chances. Taniya is also a capable lower-order batter. She has got limited opportunities though with the bat in hand.
ICC Women’s World Cup 2022: From Smriti Mandhana to Shafali Verma- Know your India women heroes
9: Sneh Rana
All-rounder Sneh Rana made a comeback after five years in the Indian team and has so far not disappointed. She has scored 519 runs in 14 matches at number six and has picked up 13 wickets. Rana is a street-smart cricketer and a utility player.
10: Jhulan Goswami
Goswami is India’s leader in the pace bowling department. Her vast amount of experience, coupled with handling pressure situations is second to none. The right-arm pacer is also in good form in ODIs in the past year as she took 15 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 3.77.
11: Pooja Vastrakar
All-rounder Pooja Vastrakar is the other experienced pacer behind Goswami. Vastrakar is also pretty handy with the bat and is seen as a finisher in ODIs. Injuries have had a big role in the 23-year-old not playing enough for India. But now she has worked on the fitness and has added extra pace in her armory.
12: Meghana Singh
Pacer Meghana Singh is an option India can explore in the World Cup. She has played only five ODIs and has picked three wickets. The pitches in New Zealand might help her as they will offer seam and swing.
13: Renuka Singh Thakur
India’s last pace bowling option Renuka Singh Thakur is also new in international cricket. Her consistent domestic performances have what made the selectors pick her in the team.
14: Rajeshwari Gayakwad
India’s lead off-spinner Gayakwad has to shoulder the bulk of the responsibility in the middle overs of the innings. She is in good form and has taken 14 wickets in 11 ODIs in 2021. The off-spinner would like to keep up the same firm in the World Cup.
15: Poonam Yadav
Leg-spinner Poonam Yadav is India’s go-to-bowler and a crucial player in ODI format. Her recent form is not great, but leg spinners are match winners and an asset for the captains in the white-ball formats.
ICC Women’s World Cup 2022: From Smriti Mandhana to Shafali Verma- Know your India women heroes
Editors pick
