Indian Women's squad announced for ICC World Cup 2017; WC begins June 24 in England and Wales

The Indian women’s cricket made a lot of noise on May 14, when the opening duo of Deepti Sharma and Poonam Raut was involved in record breaking partnership of 320 runs at Potchefstroom, South Africa. ICC Women’s World Cup is just a month away and the team couldn’t have asked for a better form than what they are enjoying currently.

Smriti Mandhana has made her way back to the Indian team after recuperating from knee injury. Captain Mithali Raj will hope that both, Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur, are able to capitalize on the experience that they garnered from Women’s Big Bash League that was played in Australia, early this year.

The team boasts of leading wicket-taker in women’s ODI history; Jhulan Goswami as well as second highest run scorer in the world; Mithali Raj. The infusion of young blood in the form of Veda Krishnamurthy, Ekta Bisht and Shikha Pandey, to name a few, makes the Indian team a complete package filled with youth and experience.

India’s track record in the ICC World Cup has been a decent one. The team secured the runner-up position in 2005 losing to Australia. They have also been semi-finalists on three other occasions; 1997, 2000 and 2009.

Squad: Mithali Raj (c), Harmanpreet Kaur, Veda Krishnamurthy, Mona Meshram, Poonam Raut, Deepti Sharma, Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Ekta Bisht, Sushma Verma (wk), Mansi Joshi, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav, Nuzhat Parveen, Smriti Mandhana

Source: Wikipedia

India eves continue the winning streak; defeat South Africa by seven wickets

On Tuesday, India's former captain Jhulan Goswami picked up 3-20 in her spell of 7.3 overs against South Africa at Potchefstroom, to become the leading wicket-taken in women's ODI cricket with a tally of 181 victims. Shikha Pandey too joined the party scalping 3-22 in her 7 overs. The hosts were bundled out for just 119 in 39.3 overs, courtesy India's disciplined bowling attack. Mignon du Preez top scored with 31 and wicket-keeper Trisha Chetty scored 28, to take the hosts over the 100-run mark.

India did not get off to the best of the starts as they lost opening bat Deepti Sharma, in the very first over of the chase. When it looked like Mona Meshram (38) and Poonam Raut (12) were stitching a partnership, Moseline Daniels got the better of Raut to send her back in the hut. Captain Mithali Raj (51*) played yet another useful knock to see her team through alongside her deputy Harmanpreet Kaur (14*). Women in Blue chased down the target in 41.2 overs, winning the match by seven wickets.

Shikha Pandey was announced as the Player of the Match for her splendid bowling efforts.

India has won two out of two games and will take take on Zimbabwe on May 11.

Brief Scores: South Africa Women (M du Preez 31, T Chetty 28; J Goswami 3-20, S Pandey 3-22) lost to India Women (M Raj 51*, M Meshram 38; S Ismail 2-17) by seven wickets

Source: Cricbuzz

India eves thrash Ireland by 10 wickets

In what looked like a lopsided affair, the Women in Blue hammered Irish women by 10 wickets on Sunday at Potchefstroom in a league match of the quadrangular series that is being played in South Africa. Winning the toss and electing to field first, Mithali Raj and co. bundled out Ireland for a dismal 96 in 44.4 overs, thanks to the bowling brilliance of spin queen Ekta Bisht and pacer Deepti Sharma, both, accounting for three wickets apiece. Jennifer Gray top scored with 24 but could not last long as she was unfortunate to be run out by Poonam Raut.

India's opening pair of Deepti Sharma (51*) and Poonam Raut (46*) shouldered the responsibility to see their team through without disturbing the rest of the batting order.

Deepti Sharma was awarded as the Player of the Match for her all-round performance.

India play the next match against the hosts on May 9.

Brief Scores: Ireland Women 96 all out in 44.4 overs (J Gray 24, G Lewis 20; E Bisht 3-24, D Sharma 3-20) lost to India Women 99-0 in 18.4 overs (D Sharma 51*, P Raut 46*) by 10 wickets

Source: Yahoo Cricket

Mithali and Shikha steer India to an easy win against Zimbabwe

The Indian women's cricket team that secretly departed for South Africa on Monday made the perfect start to the quadrangular series by clinically winning the practice match against Zimbabwe at Potchefstroom on Thursday. Amid the tussle between BCCI and ICC, the former failed to make the formal announcement of the team for the tournament that is to be played in South Africa just before the ICC Women's World Cup. Ireland and South Africa are the other two countries playing the series.

Shikha Pandey scalped a five wicket haul and was the wrecker in chief to bundle out Zimbabwe for a dismal 106 in 41 overs. Chipo Mugeri (46) was the only one who made a worthy contribution to the total.

In response, India eves achieved the target quite comfortably winning the match by six wickets, with five balls to spare. Skipper Mithali Raj played a captain's knock by scoring an unbeaten 94 off 87 balls and found an able ally in Jhulan Goswami who muscled a quickfire 54 off 38 balls. Mbofana and Nkomo picked up couple of wickets apiece.

India take on Ireland on May 7 at Potchefstroom.

Brief scores: Zimbabwe Women 106 all out in 41 overs (C Mugeri 46; S Pandey 5-20) lost to India Women 291 all out in 49.5 overs (M Raj 94, J Goswami 54; E Mbofana 2-64, J Nkomo 2-38)

Source: Cricinfo