Bengal’s Richa Ghosh became the fastest Indian batter to reach the 1000-run milestone in Women’s One-Day Internationals during India’s Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 clash against South Africa at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium.
The wicketkeeper-batter is the 12th Indian to surpass the four-figure mark in the 50-over format.
Richa achieved the landmark in just 46 matches, scoring her 1000 runs off 1010 balls, making her the third fastest overall in terms of balls faced, after Australia’s Ashleigh Gardner (917) and England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt (943).
She enters the elite club with an average just shy of 30 and a strike rate close to 100.
Her innings against the Proteas rescued India after a collapse to six wickets for 47 runs had undone the solid 50-run opening partnership.
Richa’s knock of 94 off 77 balls included her first-ever World Cup fifty.
She built crucial 50-run partnerships with Amanjot Kaur and Sneh Rana, helping India post a total of 251.
Since her debut against Australia in 2021, Richa has made a mark with her aggressive strokeplay.
In 43 ODI matches, she has hit 24 sixes, trailing only Smriti Mandhana, who has 65 in 108 matches, and Harmanpreet Kaur, who has 54 in 152 games.
In T20Is, Richa has struck 36 sixes in 67 matches, a tally surpassed only by Smriti, Harmanpreet, and Shafali Verma.
She also holds the record for India’s fastest ODI half-century, achieved in just 26 balls.
For Richa, hitting sixes is more than scoring runs; it is an expression of intent and timing.
She was in training back at home in Siliguri ahead of the World Cup when The Telegraph Online reached out to her.
Richa had said to The Telegraph Online that her approach to batting is always team-oriented. “My team’s victory is always my priority. If it’s a single run needed for a win, I would prefer that over scoring a century. Winning for the team and enjoying the game is my motto, and I am willing to bat in any position for the team to achieve that,” she said.
Richa Ghosh’s rapid rise and explosive batting style have made her one of the most exciting young talents in Indian cricket, capturing the attention of fans beyond the traditional followers of women’s cricket.