Calcutta: Pacer Jhulan Goswami added another feather to her cap by becoming the first woman cricketer to take 200 wickets in ODIs.
The 35-year-old, playing her 166th one-dayer in Kimberly on Wednesday, achieved the feat when she dismissed South Africa opener Laura Wolvaardt for her 200th scalp as the India women's team won the game by 178 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, which is part of the ICC Women's Championship.
Jhulan got the awaited scalp in the fifth over of the South African reply and her third. Wolvaardt edged it to wicketkeeper Sushma Verma, who took the catch smartly to help India get their first wicket of the day.
Importantly, Jhulan achieved this feat of 200 wickets at an economy of 3.23, which is very, very impressive. Her best bowling figures so far have been six for 31 against New Zealand back in 2011.
She has an impressive Test record as well, taking 40 wickets in 10 matches. In T20Is, she has taken 50 wickets in 60 games.
Jhulan's feat also drew praise from Sachin Tendulkar, as The Master congratulated centurion Smriti Mandhana and the rest of the team as well after they outplayed the South Africans.
"What a match this is turning out to be!! Stellar performance by @mandhana_smriti once again. A big congratulations to #JhulanGoswami on her 200th ODI wicket. #Jhulan200 #SAWvINDW," Sachin wrote on his Twitter handle.
Jhulan bowled seven overs in the game, finishing with figures of one for 29.
Following Jhulan on the list of top wicket-takers among women in ODIs are Australia's Cathryn Fitzpatrick with 180 wickets, another Aussie in the form of Lisa Sthalekar on 146 and West Indies' Anisa Mohammed with 145. The list features another Indian apart from Jhulan - Neetu David, who occupies the fifth spot with 141 wickets.
It was back in May last year when Cathryn was overtaken by Jhulan, who had then become the highest wicket-taker in women's ODI history. The first major accolade she won was in 2007 when she was adjudged ICC Women Cricketer of the Year.<> Thereafter, in 2010, she was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award , while a Padma Shri followed two years later.
In the Women's World Cup final as well, on July 23 last year, Jhulan had done her job brilliantly with the ball, finishing with three wickets for just 23 off her 10 overs that helped India restrict hosts England to a decent total.
But in spite of being in a commanding position, the Indians collapsed, with Jhulan too dismissed off the very first ball she faced, which eventually led to nine-run defeat.
