India tour of Bangladesh: The stars that turned up

The Indian Women's Cricket team just completed their 5-0 whitewash over the Bangladesh in the five match T20 series. There was never any doubts in how this series was going to go and the women in blue never gave any room for an upset and ensured the script is followed.

As with any series, few individuals stood taller than the others and have been crucial in the team's success.

This series was no different as although the entire collective were excellent, some were more than excellent and The Bridge has curated a list of the top performers of this series, with both bat and ball.

Smriti Mandhana

Would there ever be a list of Indian women's cricketers without Smriti's name at the top? The stylish lefthander built on her WPL triumph by being the top scorer in this series with 116 runs from five matches. 

She was a leader at the top ensuring India got off to a good start and while Shefali went berserk, Smriti held the fort on the other end. 

Dayalan Hemalatha

Slotting in at no.3 for India, Dayalan Hemalatha did a commendable job in this series keeping the run rate ticking in the middle overs and came up with handy contributions.

She managed to score 109 runs, second only to Smriti, with at a respectable 36.33 average and a blistering 141.56 strike rate. 

Richa Ghosh

The wicket-keeper batter had another commendable series, both with bat and glove. Her excellent keeping was on show yet again in this series and she also had a knack for chipping in with useful runs in the middle order as well. 

With an average of 41.5 and a strike rate of 140.68, Richa had a memorable series and it bodes very well for India as well with the T20 World Cup coming later this year. 

Radha Yadav

Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav was brilliant with the ball this series. Adjudged as the player of the series, she spun a web on the Bangladeshi batting lineup and tormented them throughout the series.

With rain playing spoil sports on multiple occassions, Radha used the conditions to her advantage and the Bangladeshi batters had no answer for her. She managed to pick up 10 wickets in the series, and continued her good form from the WPL. 

Asha Shobana

Making your debut for the country is always a special feeling, but it is even more special when you do it after toiling hard for many years and seeing all those efforts being rewarded.

From almost quitting the game to making her debut for India at age 33, Asha Shobana has come a long way. Her story is an inspiration to all aspiring cricketers, especially women cricketers.

Having played two games this series, Asha managed to pick up four wickets and kick started her journey with the national team. With the T20 World Cup coming up, a strong case could be made for her inclusion in the squad.

What next for India women?

With the Bangladesh tour wrapped up, India is set to welcome the South African team in June for an all format tour consisting of three ODIs, one test and 3 T20s.