Four Indians make it to the Women’s team of the year

01/05/2018

Mithali Raj, along with teammates Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, and Ekta Bisht, has been selected in ESPN's 2017 T20I XI. The rest of the squad consists of three English players, who won the 2017 Women’s World Cup, three South Africans and just one Australian in the form of Ellyse Perry.

Mithali Raj, who is the highest run scorer in the World in women’s cricket and also has the highest batting average of 51.58 in the world, was an automatic selection in the team. Not only did her performances helped India to reach the finals of the World Cup but also ensured her to be the captain of the women’s team of the year.

Harmanpreet Kaur earned a place in this squad because of her heroics against the Australians in the semi-final of the Women’s World Cup. She ended the year by scoring 505 runs at an average of 50.50 in 2017.

Deepti Sharma made it to the team because of her all-round performance the previous year. She managed to score 787 runs at an average of almost 50 but also managed to chip in with 22 wickets at an average of 28.90. Ekta Bisht led the Indian bowling contingent last year as she was able to take 29 wickets at an average of just 17.27 helping India to make it all the way to the World Cup finals.

England fast bowler Anya Shrubsole, who took the best ever figures in a World Cup final, 6/43, to give her side their fourth title made it to the final eleven along with teammates Sarah Taylor and Tammy Beaumont.

The rest of the squad comprised of Australia’s Ellyse Perry along with three South African players Lizelle Lee, Marizanne Kapp, and Dane Van Niekerk.