Preparations for the upcoming Women’s World Cup 2025 are in full swing, and Team India’s triumph in the 3-match ODI series against England by 2-1 has bolstered their confidence levels.
Ahead of the commencement of the 13th edition of the Women’s World Cup, India will host Australia in a 3-match ODI series.
As the squad for all teams is yet to be announced officially, India’s recent performance against England in the 50-over format proves that their squad is blended with a mix of hard-earned experience and dynamic youth talents. This promises to shape India’s campaign in terms of batting and bowling at home as well as on the Sri Lankan pitches.
Apart from the openers, there have been several game changers in the middle order that can tackle any formidable bowling attack.
Let’s take a look at those six key players of the Indian women’s cricket team that every cricket fan must watch at the forthcoming World Cup starting on September 30.
1. Smriti Mandhana — A Perfect Tone Setting Opener
India’s most reliable opening batter, Smriti Mandhana, has been one such consistent performer for her team who can alter her batting style according to the game’s situation.
It’s not just her jersey number 18 draws comparison to Indian men’s team batting stalwart Virat Kohli, but also truly mirrors his ability to anchor the team’s innings in challenging situations.
The 29-year-old amassed 4,588 runs in 105 matches, including 11 tons and 31 fifties to her name. She is the second leading run scorer for India in women’s ODI, with former cricketer Mithali Raj leading the list with 7,805 runs.
Also, her recent maiden T20I century against England highlights her destructive batting style in the powerplay.
2. Harmanpreet Kaur — A Dynamic Middle Order Match Winner
Few players like Harmapreet Kaur can change the dynamics of the game with her aggressive approach against the opponent’s bowling attack. She compiled 4,069 runs with 7 centuries and 11 half-centuries to her name.
The Indian captain recently scored 102 runs against England in the series decider contest, which played a crucial role in her team’s 13-run win in the third ODI.
Especially, her unbeaten 171-run knock in the 2017 World Cup semi-final against Australia remains a template on how she rips apart the tough attack under pressure.
3. Deepti Sharma — An All-Rounder to Balance India’s Squad
Over the past few years, Deepti Sharma has been one such fearsome spin bowling all-rounder for the toughest opponents.
In 109 ODI matches, the 27-year-old accumulated 2,392 runs (Average: 36.80, Strike Rate: 68.10, Centuries: 1, Half Centuries: 14).
Apart from being the best finishing left-handed batter in the middle order, Deepti’s skills as an off-spin bowler have been exceptional in the 50-over format, having claimed 136 wickets (Average: 28.08, Strike Rate: 39.80, Economy: 4.23, Best Bowling Figures: 6/20).
4. Richa Ghosh: A Fearsome Finisher for any Opponent Team
Richa Ghosh’s ability to smash huge sixes out of the park makes her a promising choice for the wicketkeeper-batter role. She is yet to score a maiden ODI century, as her best score includes 96.
The 21-year-old has played selfless knocks so far for her team rather than focusing on just her personal milestones. Out of 40 ODI matches, Richa scored 850 runs, averaging 28.33 and a strike rate of 98.03.
But her 142+ strike rate in T20Is has been remarkable, with 1,000+ runs in the shortest format. Also, Richa’s stats in the Women’s Premier League with 625 runs in 26 matches for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru outline her ability to finish the games under pressure.
5. Jemimah Rodrigues: A Middle Order Batter with Finishing Gears
Jemimah Rodrigues has been one of the main strengths for India’s middle-order unit. She scored 1,439 ODI runs, which includes 2 centuries and 7 half-centuries. However, the 24-year-old has been best when batted at No.5 in the 50-overs format, having scored 822 runs in 21 innings.
But her numbers in the T20I cricket have been outstanding with 2,375 T20I runs at a strike rate of 116+.
Once she starts to accelerate her innings, there is hardly any bowler who could tame her aggressive approach, particularly in the death overs.
As a part-time off-spinner, Rodrigues claimed 5 wickets in 4 innings at an average of 3.60, thereby promising to provide back-up to the spin bowling attack.
6. Deepti Sharma: Backbone of India’s Bowling Line-Up
While Deepti Sharma adds fuel to India’s lower-order batting, her consistency as an off-spinner has solidified India’s bowling attack.
Currently ranked as No.4 in Women’s ODI bowling rankings, the 27-year-old has shown her adaptability in different conditions. She claimed 136 wickets in 109 ODIs, averaging at 28.08 with her best bowling figures of 6/20. Overall, Deepti stands out as one of India’s most consistent all-rounders across all formats.