Mithali raj husband

Sukumari cricketer

On Saturday, Jhulan Goswami will play the last match of her two-decade-long career in international cricket. The cricketer is set to retire at Lord's cricket ground, after the Indian women's cricket team plays the final match of the ongoing three-game One Day International ODI series against England. Many summers ago, the towering fast bowler had plucked a blade of grass from the turf at Lord's - a keepsake in case she never returned to the hallowed stadium.

But Goswami went on to become a trail-blazer in women's cricket and inspired generations of girls in India to take up the sport. A former India captain, she is the highest wicket-taker in women's international cricket with wickets in matches.

Jhulan goswami best in her career

On 18 September, when year-old Goswami played the first of three ODIs against England , she became the oldest female cricketer to represent the country. The record was earlier held by Mithali Raj - India's legendary batter who retired in June. Goswami's prowess as a bowler shone through during Sunday's match, as it has during many matches before.

In the words of the England team's stand-in captain Amy Jones, "She just never seems to have a dip in form… She's been so consistent. At the heart of Goswami's longevity and consistency is her profound awareness of her body and devotion to her craft. India men's captain Rohit Sharma has described her as a "once-in-a-generation player" and has said that Goswami's dedication to the game will inspire those wanting to represent India, "whether it's [in] women's cricket or men's cricket".

Women's cricket in India has struggled to enjoy the same level of recognition and funding as men's cricket. So, much of Goswami's rise from Chakdaha, a small town in the eastern state of West Bengal, to the top of international cricket has been anchored in passion alone. Like Raj's year cricketing career, Goswami's career too has blossomed despite the system.

Born into a conservative middle-class Bengali family that had no roots in competitive sport, Goswami didn't consider the prospect of pursuing cricket seriously until the Women's Cricket World Cup final - held in Calcutta now Kolkata in West Bengal.