ICC Cricket, Cricket Live Scores, Latest Sports News, Rumors, Fantasy Games, and more

The Indian women's cricket team returned from the World Twenty20 in England to virtual anonymity, but for one member of the squad, the celebrations were not denied, merely delayed.

Having been named in the ICC's World Twenty20 squad was surprise enough for Rumeli Dhar; the fact that she was the only one from both men's and women's sides to get the honour only added to the astonishment.

"I saw it on a television channel and it was really surprising. Even more surprising was the fact that none from the men's team made it," Dhar said.

Six wickets in four matches at an average of 11.16 was the effort that earned her recognition from the ICC, even though as a bowler, team-mate Priyanka Roy's numbers - four matches and six wickets at an average of 7.83 - seem more impressive on paper. Dhar, though avoided any comments on the comparison, saying it was the ICC's decision.

"It's obviously surprising but I don't know how the ICC judges it. There must be something else they would have factored in," says Dhar.

Team-mate Reema Malhotra, though, gives a clearer picture as she tries to explain Dhar's inclusion, saying it was more due to the experience and the opponents Dhar performed against.

"Priyanka is a good young bowler, but she performed only against Pakistan (five for 16), who are relatively weaker opponents, while Rumeli got wickets against all teams and consistently throughout the tournament," Malhotra explained.

Falling flat on the team's dismal show in the tournament - the Indians crashed to a 52-run defeat against New Zealand in the semi-finals - Dhar blamed the team's repeated poor batting on "flat tracks," which she feels only add to the importance of her bowling figures.

"Conditions were absolutely wonderful for batting, and given that our bowlers did really well. But our batting performance hurt us. I think the 140-odd against New Zealand was quite chaseable and I also take responsibility for that," the 25-year-old said.

With no regular batting slot, all-rounder Dhar was moved all over the line-up but was done in by the pressure of the tournament, like most others in the squad. At the same time, she denied that the English women have raised the bar too much and opened up a clear gap at the top.

"It's astonishing, but all our batsmen struggled. I played at two-down, five-down, but I was taking too much of pressure and nothing changed the course. But every team goes through this phase, even England and Australia.

"Earlier Australia were at the top and now it's England. It's not that England are suddenly at the top because they are far too good than the rest, just because they won or have been winning recently. Anything can happen in Twenty20 and Pakistan men's team returning with the trophy is an example. It's just a matter of time. Unfortunately we failed every time," Dhar said.