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'She's The Fastest': Jhulan Goswami Praises New MI Signee Shabnim Ismail

Jatin

image-lpz6yw35Shabnim Ismail played for UP Warriorz in WPL 2023 (Twitter)

Ahead of the Women’s Premier League 2024, Mumbai Indians Women successfully acquired South African pacer Shabnim Ismail for Rs 1.20 crore at the auction after overcoming competition from teams like Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Giants.


Jhulan Goswami hails Shabnim Ismail's arrival for WPL 2024

Former India pacer who now serves as a mentor and bowling coach for Mumbai Indians, Jhulan Goswami expressed confidence in Ismail's ability to contribute significantly to the team.

Goswami highlighted Ismail's extensive experience and her role as a mentor to younger players, highlighting her speed which currently ranks her as the fastest bowler in women's cricket. According to the Indian great, Ismail's experience is expected to benefit emerging speedsters like Jintimani Kalita and Pooja Vastrakar.

“Shabnim is the fastest bowler currently in women's cricket. She has vast amounts of experience, we wanted an out-and-out pacer. She is also somebody who can mentor our young crop of fast bowlers like Jintimani Kalita and Pooja Vastrakar, who can learn a lot from her,” said Goswami.


Goswami also pointed out the diverse strengths of the Mumbai Indians' bowling attack, which includes unique talents like Amandeep Kaur, a left-arm wrist spinner, and Fatima Jaffer, who had an outstanding season with the domestic T20 champions, Mumbai. This variety, along with the team's renowned fighting spirit, is what Goswami believes led them to victory in the inaugural season of the league.

“We have great variety in our bowling attack. Amandeep Kaur is a left arm wrist spinner, which is very unusual in women's cricket. We also have Fatima Jaffer, who had a great season for domestic T20 champions Mumbai. Mumbai Indians are known for their fighting spirit, so we will look to fight and play as a team as that is what led us to being champions in the inaugural season,” added the legendary bowler.

It is worth mentioning that Ismail's previous stint was with the UP Warriorz, where she was bought for Rs. 1 crore but participated in only three matches, taking three wickets. Her move to Mumbai Indians marks a new chapter in her WPL career and brings a wealth of experience and skill to the team as they prepare for the upcoming season.