Dubai: Senior Indian women's cricket players Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami entered the ICC' ODI Team of the Year' after their exceptional international performance in the past year, PTI reported.
Mithali Raj, the 39-year-old Indian skipper, had scored 503 runs. The score has tallied with England's Tammy Beaumont's as well as both of their average, but Mithali was selected by ICC, saying her contribution shored team India from struggles.
Goswami, who is also 39, had taken a total of 15 wickets in the calendar year and has an impressive economy of 3.77. She has amassed 340 ODI wickets, a record, and a winner of ICC Woman Cricketer of the Year in 2007
ICC praised her, saying that Goswami is an experienced pacer who can keep runs in check and pick wickets simultaneously. Thus she is an asset for any team she plays, it said.
The ICC ODI women's Team of the Year has England's Heather Knight as captain, who is the England team captain as well. Knight had made an impressive calendar year, scoring 423 runs at an average of 42.30. She had scored a century and three half-centuries. In addition to batting, she also operated in the bowling department and took five wickets at an average of 19.80.
The team has three South African players, two each from England and West Indies and one from Australia.
Meanwhile, biopics are in the making on both Mithaliraj and Jhulan Goswami.
The ICC Team of the Year is formed by recognising exceptional performances by players in a calendar year.