Harmanpreet Kaur added another major honour to her career by receiving the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, for her leadership and contribution to Indian cricket. She became the fifth Indian woman cricketer to receive the recognition, following Diana Edulji, Jhulan Goswami, Anjum Chopra and Mithali Raj.
Women’s cricket in India now enjoys global attention, large crowds and major competitions such as the Women’s Premier League. But the journey to this stage was built over decades by players who made an impact both on and off the field. These five cricketers played important roles in shaping the game and inspiring future generations.
Diana Edulji – 2002
Diana Edulji was among the earliest pillars of Indian women’s cricket. She played during the 1970s and 1980s, when women’s cricket had limited support and visibility.
The left-arm spinner made her debut in India’s first official women’s Test in 1976 in Bengaluru, taking three wickets across two innings as India earned a draw. She ended her career with 63 Test wickets, still the most by an Indian woman.
Edulji also captained India in their first official ODI against England during the 1978 Women’s World Cup at Eden Gardens. In ODIs, she took 46 wickets at an economy rate of 2.37.
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Her influence extended strongly beyond the field. After retiring in 1993, she helped Railways become a major force in women’s cricket by supporting players with jobs and financial stability. She later served as a BCCI administrator and advocated for better facilities and fairer treatment for women cricketers. She received the Padma Shri award in 2002.
Jhulan Goswami – 2012
Jhulan Goswami transformed the perception of fast bowling in women’s cricket. From Chakdaha in West Bengal, she rose to become one of the fastest bowlers in the world and inspired many girls to take up pace bowling.
She made her India debut as a teenager and went on to become the highest wicket-taker in women’s ODI cricket, finishing with 255 wickets at an economy rate of 3.37. Her performances, particularly overseas, helped India become a stronger force internationally. Jhulan Goswami was also named ICC Women’s Player of the Year in 2007.
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Jhulan’s professionalism, discipline and leadership contributed significantly to the growth of Indian women’s cricket. She became the second Indian woman cricketer to receive the Padma Shri in 2012.
Anjum Chopra – 2014
Anjum Chopra was one of India’s most reliable batters in the early 2000s and played a key role in the team’s run to the 2005 Women’s World Cup final in South Africa.
After her playing career, Anjum continued to support the women’s game through media and commentary. At a time when women’s cricket had limited coverage, she helped give the sport greater visibility and encouraged younger players to see a future in the game. She was awarded the Padma Shri in 2014.
Mithali Raj – 2015
Mithali Raj is regarded as one of the finest batters in women’s cricket. She scored more than 10,000 international runs and remains the highest run-scorer in women’s ODI cricket.
Her calm leadership took India to the Women’s World Cup finals in 2005 and 2017. Mithali’s consistency and professionalism made her the face of Indian women’s cricket for years. She also led India to a Test series win in England in 2006 and a historic one-off Test victory in England in 2014.
The former India captain received the Arjuna Award in 2003 and the Padma Shri in 2015.
Harmanpreet Kaur – 2026
Harmanpreet Kaur introduced a bold and attacking edge to Indian women’s cricket. Her unbeaten 171 against Australia in the 2017 World Cup semifinal remains one of the most defining innings in the sport and changed global perceptions of Indian women cricketers.
After several near-misses in major tournaments, India finally won their first ICC title under Harmanpreet’s captaincy in the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, further strengthening the team’s standing in world cricket.
Her success in competitions such as the WPL has also encouraged young cricketers to aim higher. Across formats, she has scored more than 8,000 international runs so far.
