India's veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami got a fairy-tale farewell from the game as she bid adieu to the International cricket after India's 16-run victory against England in the third ODI on Saturday (September 24).
In her last waltz she bowled an exceptional spell of 2/30 which included three maiden overs as well.
Jhulan Goswami pens down an emotional note after wrapping up her 20-year international career, recalls 1997 World Cup final
On Sunday, the 39-year-old took to Twitter to share a heartfelt note thanking everyone for supporting her as she captioned the scribe ‘Thankyou everyone’ while tagging BCCI.
The note read…
"To my cricket family and beyond
So, the day has finally arrived! Like every journey has an end, my cricket journey of over 20 years ends today as I announce my retirement from all forms of cricket. As Ernest Hemingway said, It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters in the end". For me this journey has been the most satisfying. It has been exhilarating, thrilling to say the least adventurous. I have had the honour of donning the India jersey for over two decades and serving my country at the best of my abilities. There is a sense of pride every time I hear the National Anthem before a match," she said.
"Cricket has given me several gifts over the years, the greatest and the best without doubt, has been the people I have met along this journey. The friends I made, my competitors, teammates, the journalists I interacted with, match officials, board administrators and people who loved watching me play.
I have always been honest as a cricketer and hope, I have been able to contribute to the growth of women's cricket in India and the world. I hope I have been successful in inspiring the next generation of girls to play this beautiful game," she added.
In an international career spanning over two decades the second longest in women’s international cricket - Jhulan, who made her debut in 2002, represented India in 12 Tests, 204 ODIs and 68 T20Is, picking 355 wickets across formats.
Jhulan, who went on to play five ODI World Cups — 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2022 — remains the leading wicket-taker in the history of the Women’s World Cups. She also remains the only pacer in women’s cricket to have 250-plus wickets in ODIs.
"Ever since watching the Women's World Cup final at Eden Gardens back in 1997, it was my dream to play for India, and I am thankful to the BCCI (Board of Control For Cricket In India), CAB (Cricket Association of Bengal), Women's Cricket Association of India (WCAI) and Air India officials for reposing faith in me and giving me the opportunity to fulfil my dream.
"I want to thank the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for taking care of my injuries and keeping me fit as a fiddle over the years. I am grateful to all the coaches, trainers, physios, and ground staff who have been an integral part of this journey. A huge shout out to all the captains I have played under. Their faith in my abilities helped build my confidence.
"I want to take a moment to thank my family (my parents, siblings) who stood by me in every situation. Not to forget my friends, who have been my best critics and biggest supporters. Last but not the least, I want to thank my childhood coach for having backed me in my endeavour.
I also want to express my gratitude towards my fans, journalists, broadcasters for backing me and giving wings to women's cricket.
I have cherished every moment of the last 20 years of my life as an international cricketer with my teammates on and off the field. I have always loved you cricket and even as I retire as a professional player, I will never be too far away from you.
Thank you," she concluded.
The BCCI on Sunday, described Jhulan Goswami’s career as “monumental", saying an era has come to an end with the retirement of one of women’s cricket’s greatest players.
Harmanpreet Kaur, who let Jhulan call the toss in a touching gesture, was unable to hold back her tears, even as the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) planned to name a stand at the Eden gardens after the 'Chakdaha Express'.
20y 261d Length of Goswami's ODI career, from the debut in 2002 to the final match at Lord's. It is the second longest ODI career in women's cricket, behind Mithali Raj's 22 years and 274 days. Raj and Goswami are the only women to feature in 200-plus ODIs, having played 232 and 204 matches respectively.
