New Delhi, July 13 (IANS) Former India men’s head coach and cricket legend Ravi Shastri lavished praise on Indian women’s cricket team stars Yastika Bhatia and Kranti Gaud after the duo etched their names on the prestigious Lord’s Honours Board during the ongoing one-off Test match against England.

Yastika scripted history by becoming the first-ever woman cricketer to smash a Test century at the historic venue, popularly known as the ‘Home of Cricket’. Earlier, Kranti delivered a masterclass in bowling to become the first woman to claim a five-wicket haul at Lord’s.

“Yastika, Kranti – you beauties. Welcome to the honours board at the Home of Cricket. This is something you will treasure all your life. And every Indian woman cricketer aspiring @BCCI @BCCIWomen @HomeOfCricket #EngvsInd,” Shastri posted on X.

On Day 2 of the Test, Kranti producing a magnificent five-wicket haul to bowl England out for 170 and hand India a crucial first-innings lead, becoming the first woman in the history of the game to have her name etched on the prestigious Test honours board at Lord’s.

She is now only the third Indian woman pacer to register a Test five-fer, joining Jhulan Goswami and Gargi Banerjee in the elite list. It is also the first five-wicket haul by an Indian woman fast bowler in Test cricket since Goswami claimed five wickets in both innings against England at Taunton in 2006.

On the following day, Yastika rose to the occasion and became the first-ever woman to score a Test century at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.

The left-handed batter reached to the three-figure mark in 145 deliveries, a knock studded with 12 boundaries. Upon reaching the historic century, an emotional Yastika dropped to her knees to kiss the turf at the ‘Home of Cricket,’ as the crowd stood up to give her a standing ovation.

–IANS

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