While the Indian men’s team currently engaged in a 5-match ODI series in the West Indies invariably gets more attention, it would be useful to shift focus to their women counterparts who have been having a fabulous run in the World Cup so far in England.
It’s been smooth sailing for the Indian women with three straight wins in the competition.
The 20-year-old batswoman Smriti Mandhana was the star in the first two matches scoring 90 and 106 not out against England and West Indies respectively.
In India’s third match against arch-rivals Pakistan, it was the turn of left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht to rise to the occasion as she picked up 5 wickets to help bundle out the opposition for 74.
So, who is Smriti Mandhana?
Born in Mumbai, she was inspired by her brother who also played professionally, to take up the sport.
The left-handed batswoman first came into the limelight after scoring an unbeaten 224 off 150 balls in an ODI against Gujarat in the West Zone Under-19 tournament.
She also became the second Indian after Harmanpreet Kaur, to sign up for a one-year deal with Brisbane Heat in the Women’s Big Bash League.
In 2016, she scored her maiden international ODI hundred against Australia with a score of 102.
She was also the only Indian cricketer to be named in the Women’s Team of the Year last year.
Having made her ODI debut against Bangladesh in 2013, she has played 26 matches with her highest score of 106 not out coming against Pakistan in the ongoing World Cup.
Know more about Ekta Bisht
Born in Almora, Uttarakhand, she is a left-arm orthodox bowler.
She made her ODI debut against Australia in 2011 and has played 43 matches so far.
Her best ODI figures of 5 wickets for 8 runs came in the match against Pakistan in the World Cup, currently on in England.
Bisht also has a hat-trick to her credit which came in an international T20 match against Sri Lanka in Colombo on October 3, 2012.