Jhulan Goswami's 'exceptional international career' hailed by ICC

Jhulan Goswami is now retired from international cricket. Her last game was an ODI against England at Lord's on Saturday. Meanwhile, the ICC hailed her "exceptional international career".

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On Saturday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) celebrated iconic Indian pacer Jhulan Goswami for her "exceptional international career", which witnessed her finish her career as the most successful bowler in women's One-Day Internationals (ODIs). The 39-year-old fast bowler from West Bengal retired from international cricket following India's 16-run win against England in the third and final ODI at the historic Lord's Cricket Ground in London on Saturday. She had played in five ICC Women's World Cups, including 2005 and 2017, during which India finished as the runner-up. Goswami also represented the side in five ICC Women's T20 World Cups.

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ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice heralded Goswami's longevity and said she would be memorised as one of the game's greats. "Jhulan has had an incredible career over two decades, enjoying great success across formats. For a fast bowler to continue for so long is impressive, and it is no wonder that she leads the list of wicket-takers in Women's ODIs. Allardice was quoted in an ICC release.

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"Jhulan's career span included a crucial period of growth for women's cricket, and her presence helped raise the game's profile. I am sure many young boys and girls, not just in India but worldwide, would have been inspired by her over the years. On behalf of the ICC, I congratulate Jhulan for a wonderful career," added Allardice. Goswami has completed her career with 44 wickets in 12 Tests, 255 in 204 ODIs and 56 in 68 T20Is.

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Later, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur saluted Jhulan after the game and said, "When I debuted, she was a leader. Before the game, I told her when I was going through the best time, people supported me, but when I was in a rough time, she was the one who supported me. I wanted to thank her and tell her she was always with us. She is a go-to person, I always called her at low times, and she was someone always guiding me."

(With inputs from PTI)