Deepti Sharma and Heather Knight. (Photo Source: X(Twitter)
The fourth edition of The Hundred Women’s 2024 concluded with London Spirit Women clinching their maiden title, defeating Welsh Fire Women in an exciting final at the historic Lord’s on August 18. The Spirit’s journey to victory included a third-place finish in the group stage, followed by a convincing eight-wicket win against two-time champions Oval Invincibles in the Eliminators.
In the summit clash, Spirit’s skipper Heather Knight won the toss and elected to field and the side’s bowling attack shone, restricting Welsh Fire to a mere 115/8. The Spirit’s batters then chased down the target with four wickets in hand, securing their maiden trophy.
Notably, with the Indian men players allowed to only participate in the IPL, the BCCI gave a green signal for the women’s team to participate in the eight-team tournament. From a pool of fifteen Indian women cricketers available for the competition, only three were chosen to participate in the tournament, each representing a different team.
The trio consisted of vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh, and all-rounder Deepti Sharma. Throughout the competition, these players had different levels of performance with their respective franchises. Let us have a look at the rating given to the Indian players based on their performance in The Hundred Women’s 2024.
Here are the ratings of the three Indians who participated in The Hundred Women’s 2024:
3. Richa Ghosh: (5/10)
Richa Ghosh (Photo Source: X(twitter)
Wicketkeeper-batter, Richa Ghosh struggled in her second season of The Hundred tournament. Playing for Birmingham Phoenix, the 26-year-old failed to replicate the impact she’s had in other competitions. Birmingham also had a disappointing season, winning only three out of eight games and finishing seventh in the standings.
Meanwhile, Ghosh’s performance was dismal as she scored just 62 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 96.87. Her highest score of 41 came against Trent Rockets. This poor show was unexpected, especially considering her above-average performance in the Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2024, which had boosted her confidence significantly.
With the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 approaching, Ghosh would have hoped to score more runs and gain momentum. Her poor performance in The Hundred will raise concerns about her form heading into the important tournament.
2. Smriti Mandhana (6/10)
Smriti Mandhana (Photo Source: X(twitter)
India’s vice-captain and star opener Smriti Mandhana, experienced an unexpectedly poor season with Southern Brave in The Hundred. Despite her reputation as a formidable batter, the 28-year-old managed only 60 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 136.36. Her highest score of 42 came against Trent Rockets.
Southern Brave’s performance reflected Mandhana’s struggles, finishing at the bottom of the table with just one win in eight games. This dip in form is particularly notable given her recent form as the third-highest run-scorer in the Women’s Asia Cup 2024, scoring 173 runs in four innings. As a key player in India’s batting lineup, Mandhana will be hoping to put this disappointing run behind her and come back strong in future assignments.
1. Deepti Sharma (9/10)
Deepti Sharma (Photo Source: X(twitter)
Star all rounder Deepti Sharma emerged as the standout Indian player in The Hundred 2024. She shined with her all-round performance for the victorious London Spirit. The Uttar Pradesh-born made significant contributions with both bat and ball throughout the season. In eight matches, Sharma scored 212 runs at an impressive strike rate of 132.50, with her top score of 46 coming against Oval Invincibles. She finished as her team’s third-highest run-scorer.
Also Read: Heather Knight after Deepti Sharma’s heroics in The Hundred final
Her bowling was equally impactful, claiming eight wickets while maintaining an economy rate of 6.85. Her consistent performances played a crucial role in Spirit’s championship-winning campaign. In the final match, the 26-year-old remained unbeaten on 16 and picked the wicket of Georgia Elwiss. This successful stint in The Hundred is expected to boost Sharma’s confidence significantly. The national team will be eagerly waiting for similar performances from her in upcoming tournaments.