Come September 24, 2022, one of India’s great women cricketers, Jhulan Goswami, will bid adieu to the cricket field. With an illustrious career of over 20 years, Goswami will say farewell to cricket at the ‘mecca’ of cricket, the Lord’s ground in England.
More befitting is the fact that India has won the series against England, a feat that was last achieved in 1999, before Goswami had made her debut. The taste of defeat at the hands of England in the 2017 World Cup final, has definitely been remedied by this series win. Goswami will go out with pride.
With 353 international wickets (across formats), Goswami will bow out amid thunderous applause. Jhulan’s journey, from a small town Chakdah in West Bengal to winning the Padma Shri and many great accolades in the world of cricket, has been a fulfilling one. As India looks for a clean-sweep against England in the current ODI series, one thing is guaranteed, there will be no letting up in Jhulan’s intensity.
Goswami is the highest wicket-taker in Women’s ODI cricket. During the women’s World Cup in March 2022, she became the first bowler to take 250 wickets in WODIs.
Jhulan Goswami was awarded the Padma Shri Award from the then President Pratibha Patil during the Padma Awards 2012 function at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi, on March 22, March, 2012.
Jhulan Goswami as part of the victorious Asia Cup Indian women’s cricket team at Chennai airport in 2004.
Goswami was ranked first in the ICC Women’s ODI bowling rankings in January 2016.
Jhulan Goswami was awarded the Arjuna Award 2010 by the then President Pratibha Devi Singh Patil at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi, on August 29, 2010.
Five years ago, in 2017, she came within touching distance of the glory of World Cup, as India reached the ICC Women’s World Cup final. While her dream of the World Cup remained unrealised, India’s current series win over England, after 23 years, will bring her comfort.
Jhulan Goswami, was a recipient of the Castrol Special Award for her outstanding bowling on the England tour in 2006.
After playing for 20 years and 258 days, Jhulan Goswami has the second longest careers in Women’s One-Day Internationals, second only to Mithali Raj.