Born on 1st September 1977 in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, former Test and ODI player for India, Neetu David.
The left-arm slow bowler made her international debut in a Test match against New Zealand at Trafalgar Park in Nelson on 7th-10th February 1995. The seventeen year old was not daunted by the task and took 4-51 in the only innings in which she bowled, collecting the big scalps of Debbie Hockley and Emily Drumm.
It was the beginning of a career lasting thirteen years, weaving a web of destruction with her brilliant spin bowling. In just ten Test matches, Neetu took 41 wickets at 18.90, the high water mark being her 8-53 in the second innings of the second Test against England in 1995 at Jamshedpur. Those figures remain the best performance in an innings in women’s Tests and has stood for 26 years.
Neetu’s ODI career commenced two days after the completion of the Test match at Nelson at Hagely Oval in Christchurch and begun much the same as her Test career, removing Hockley again, as well as opener Penny Kinsella to return the figures of 2-26 from her 10 overs.
In 97 ODIs, including three World Cups, Neetu would become the first Indian bowler to take 100 wickets in ODIs. In total she took 141 wickets at 16.34 with a best of 5-20 against the West Indies at Jamshedpur in 2004, one of two five wicket hauls.
Post retirement Neetu has continued to serve cricket and is currently chairman of selectors for the Indian women’s team.
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