Mumbai, Jan 28: Captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, Jhulan Goswami has won the Padma Shri award, a prestigious civilian honour conferred by the Indian government. One of the most celebrated women fast bowlers in the world, Goswami is the second Indian woman cricketer to win this award after former captain Diana Edulji.

Goswami received the Arjuna Award in 2010 and was also the ICC Women Cricketer of the Year in 2007. Making her international debut in 2001-02, Goswami quickly established herself as the spearhead of the Indian attack.

With 13 tournament wickets, she played the protagonist in India’s journey to the final of the 2005 Women’s World Cup in South Africa. Goswami returned career-best figures of 10-78 in the 2006 Taunton Test to guide India to a historic Test win against England. Consistent performances in the series earned her the Player-of-the-Series award.

Goswami was the joint highest wicket-taker in the Asia Cup 2008 with twelve scalps along with teammate Neetu David. She became only the second Indian after David to take 100 ODI wickets, a feat she accomplished during the same tournament.

Her consistency with the ball, and competence with the bat in the lower order, prompted the selectors to appoint her captain of the Indian team in 2008-09. She responded by guiding India to the third spot in the ICC Cricket World Cup and the semifinals of successive ICC World T20s, in 2009 and 2010 respectively. She led India to an ODI series win over England in 2009-10, and ODI and T20 International series wins over the West Indies in 2010-11.

Goswami is only the third Indian after Anjum Chopra and Mithali Raj to appear in a hundred or more ODIs. She holds the top spot in the ICC ODI Championship Bowling Rankings (women).

She won the BCCI’s annual M.A. Chidambaram Award for Best Senior Lady Cricketer of the 2010-11 season.