Rumeli Dhar retires from all forms of cricket, Pens farewell on Instagram
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Veteran Indian cricket player Rumeli Dhar said she has decided to retire from all forms of cricket. The former Indian women's team captain is quitting a 23-year-long career.
The highlight of her career was taking India to the final of the 2005 Women's World Cup in South Africa. She has played 78 WODIs, scoring 961 runs and taking 63 wickets, with six half-centuries since her debut against England in 2003 at Lincoln. She played her last ODI in 2012.
The right-handed batter and medium-pacer played four women's Tests, in which she scored 236 runs with one half-century. She also picked up eight Test wickets since making her debut against England in 2005 at Delhi.
The 38-year-old wrote on Instagram that it has been 23 years since she started in Shyamnagar in West Bengal. "The journey has been a long one with highs and lows. The high was representing the Indian Women's cricket team, playing the World Cup final in 2005 as well as leading the Women in Blue," said the senior player.
She featured in 18 T20s, in which she scored 131 runs and took 13 wickets after making her debut against England Women in 2006. Four years ago, she made an unexpected comeback to India's T20 team.
Dhar expressed gratitude to the BCCI, her family, friends, and all the teams that she represented - Bengal, Railways, Air India, Delhi, and Rajasthan - for their contributions during her career.
She also promised to "be associated" with cricket and "help nurture young talents in the country". The cricketer told Sportstar that she wants to give back to the game and wants to be a coach.