Birthday special: Shikha Pandey – 3 memorable spells for India

India Women’s team all-rounder Shikha Pandey turns 34 on May 12, 2023. Born in Telangana, Pandey has played three Tests, 55 ODI matches and 56 T20Is for India. She made her international debut in a T20 against Bangladesh in March 2014. While she has just four wickets to her name in Tests, the right-arm bowler has taken 75 and 40 wickets in ODIs and T20Is respectively. Having completed eight years playing for her cricket, she has bowled some crucial and important spells in her career.

Let’s take a look at 3 memorable spells of Shikha Pandey for India:

1) 4/18 vs England (2019)

Pandey took her career-best figures of 4/18 in an ODI against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in February 2019. The English side batted first and got bowled out for 161 runs in 43.3 overs. Shikha delivered ten overs with one maiden and an economy rate of just 1.80. She dismissed both the England openers with India winning the match comfortably by seven wickets.

2) 4/34 vs South Africa (2017)

Pandey took four wickets for 34 runs in 9.4 overs against South Africa in Colombo (PSS) in the year 2017. Indian batted first and could only manage 205/8 in 50 overs. She delivered two maidens at an economy rate of 3.51 as the Proteas got bundled out for just 156 runs in 46.4 overs. India won the ODI match by 49 runs with the seam bowler playing a crucial part in it.

3) 3/14 vs Australia (2020)

Pandey along with Poonam Yadav played a vital part in winning the opening match of the T20 World Cup in Sydney in 2020. India posted 132/4 while batting first and Pandey snared three scalps for 14 runs in her 3.5 overs spell to restrict Australia for just 115 all out subsequently winning the encounter by 17 runs. She bowled 13 dot balls, registering her best bowling figures in T20Is.