During the opening match of the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup, played in Guwahati, Deepti Sharma had an unforgettable three-wicket haul against Sri Lanka Women. Picking important wickets of Chamari Athapaththu and Kavisha Dilhari, Deepti’s three-wicket haul saw India Women defeat the co-hosts Sri Lanka by 59 runs (DLS method).
With her match-winning spell, Deepti Sharma passed Neetu David to become one of India Women’s top wicket-takers in Test/ODIs all-time. With this landmark achievement, here is a look at five of the highest wicket-takers for India Women in ODIs.
5. Rajeshwari Gayakwad – 99 Wickets
A left-hand spin from India, Rajeshwari Gayakwad has taken 99 ODI wickets in merely 64 matches at a superb bowling average of 20.79 since her debut in the format back in January 2014. While the 34-year-old has been journeying quite close to 100 ODI wickets, she has not played an ODI since last September, during a series in England. If she gets back in the national playing XI and takes that elusive next wicket, Gayakwad will become the fifth Indian Woman ever to breach the 100-wicket landmark in 50-over internationals.
4. Nooshin Al Khadeer – 100 Wickets
Nooshin Al Khadeer ended her illustrious ODI career with 100 wickets from 77 innings spread over 78 matches. The right-arm spinner kept a fine average at 24.02 and an economy rate of 3.57. She was one of the main pillars of the Indian Women’s team that reached the final of the 2005 Women’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa, taking 11 wickets in just eight games to be the fourth-joint highest wicket-taker of the tournament. Khadeer used to feature regularly in the Indian ODI team, having made her debut in 2002, she played her last game at the Wankhede Stadium in March 2012 before retiring.
3. Neetu David – 141 Wickets
Neetu David, the former India spinner, had her ground set just when she recorded 100 wickets in ODIs before going on to take 141 scalps in what remained her career of 97 games at 16.34 average, still the best by almost unearth teams India Women bowlers having over 100 wickets. Without doubt, David held an economy of 2.82, which speaks volumes for her impeccable line and length, which often had the opposition bogged down in their run pressure. The ICC Hall-of-Famer went to play for the country between 1995 and 2008 and was the highest wicket-taker in the 2005 Women’s ODI World Cup, with 20 scalps in just eight innings in South Africa.
2. Deepti Sharma – 143 Wickets
Deepti Sharma, a mighty Indian all-rounder, surpassed Neetu David’s wicket tally with a match-winning three-wicket haul against the Sri Lankan women in the very first match of the 2025 Women’s World Cup in September 2025. Her ODI tally now stands at a glittering 143 wickets in just 112 innings at an average of 28.19 and an economy of 4.29. Overall, Deepti has taken over 300 international wickets for Team India across all formats and has racked up nearly 4,000 runs with the bat to become one of India’s greatest all-rounders.
1. Jhulan Goswami – 255 Wickets
The champion Indian cricketer Jhulan Goswami is by far the most successful bowler in Women’s ODIs. With 255 wickets in 203 innings, Goswami leads second-placed South African speedster Shabnim Ismail by 64 wickets for the all-time record, while also leading Deepti Sharma by more than 100 wickets as the Indian record holder. An average of 22.04 throughout her twenty-year career saw her collecting seven four-wicket hauls and two five-wicket hauls, including two World Cup runner-ups with India in 2005 and 2017.
The legendary pace bowler played the last international match in September 2022, where she celebrated the final outing by taking two wickets in India’s victorious chase against England.
