Dubai: Veteran Indian players Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami have been named in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Women’s ODI Team of the Year for their consistent performances in international cricket. Players who have impressed with their performances on the field in the calendar year are included in the ICC Team of the Year.
India’s veteran batsman and captain Mithali scored the same number of runs as England’s opener Tammy Beaumont and both had the same average. Mithali, however, contributed 503 runs at a time when the Indian team was struggling as a unit, making her contribution more significant. The 39-year-old batsman did not score a century in 2021 but scored six half-centuries.
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The 39-year-old Jhulan, who has been the spearhead of India’s fast bowling attack for a long time, continues to impress with her performances. Jhulan took 15 wickets last year with an impressive economy rate of 3.77. The ICC has praised the Indian bowler, saying that the veteran pacer is capable of taking wickets along with curbing the run-rate and he is an important player for any team. Jhulan, who took 340 wickets in One Day Internationals, is also the ICC Women’s Player of the Year and tops the list of bowlers with most wickets in international cricket.
Mithali and Jhulan are the two Indian players in the team led by England captain Heather Knight. Three players from South Africa have got a place in the team, while two each from England and West Indies and one player from Australia are included in it. England captain Knight has been a vital part of England’s middle-order for a long time and in 2021 she was also one of the top performing players. Knight scored 423 runs at an average of 42.30 with the help of a century and three half-centuries. He also took five wickets at an average of 19.80.
ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year 2021: Lizelle Lee (South Africa), Alyssa Healy (Australia), Tammy Beaumont (England), Mithali Raj (India), Heather Knight (England), Haley Matthews (West Indies), Marijne Kapp (South) Africa), Shabnim Ismail (South Africa), Fatima Sana (Pakistan), Jhulan Goswami (India) and Anissa Mohammad (West Indies). (agency)