10 Facts You Must Know About Cricketer Mithali Raj
Mithali Raj needs no introduction. She is among the talented women cricketers in the world. Mithali has earned her name because of her meticulousness. Aspiring cricketers and fans want to learn more about this personality. Especially after her biopic got released the interest level increased. We are sharing ten facts you must know about the former national Indian women’s team captain.
1. Mithali Raj wanted to become a Bharatnatyam dancer
Mithali Raj wanted to become a Bharatnatyam dancer as a child. She took classes for this classical dance form. Soon she qualified to a creditable level. Even until her teens, Mithali dreamed of pursuing Bharatnatyam as her career.
2. Raj is a book lover
Raj is also a passionate book reader. This fact got established before a match in 2017. She got identified reading a book before her innings.
3. Mithila is Youngest ODI centurion
Mithali created history in women’s cricket by being the youngest ODI centurion. Nobody has been able to beat this record yet. She scored an unbeaten 114 runs in her debut ODI match against Ireland in 1999. Her age on that day was 16 years and 205 days.
4. First female cricketer to score 2000 T20 International runs
Mithali Raj is the first female cricketer to score 2000 T20 International runs. She had reached this milestone in a match against Sri Lanka. It was during the Women’s Asia Cup T20 Championships.
5. Mithali became the youngest Indian women’s cricket team captain
Mithali became the youngest Indian women’s cricket team captain at 21 years and 4 days. Overall, she was the seventh skipper of the national women’s cricket team.
6. Never got out with Duck
Another feather in Mithali’s cap is there for her consecutive innings without a duck. She is the only Indian cricketer who was never dismissed at zero for seven consecutive years. It was from 2000 to 2007. Mithali played 74 innings in this tenure.
7. Consecutive winners of Asia Cup from 2004 to 2008
Raj with pride and sincerity led her team in four Asia Cup championships. It was between 2004 and 2008. The sheer hard work of Mithali as captain gave the team new heights. The Indian women’s team won the Asia Cup in all four years.
8. Led twice as captain in World Cup Championships
Mithali is the only Indian captain to lead her team twice in World Cup Championships finals. The Indian women’s cricket team reached this milestone in 2005 and 2017.
9. Won several civilian awards and accolades
Mithali Raj is the recipient of several civilian awards and accolades. She got honored with the Arjuna Award in 2003 and India’s fourth highest civilian award, Padma Shri, in 2015. In 2021, she also received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. In 2015, Raj became the first woman cricketer to get recognized as the Wisden India Cricketer of the Year.
10. Highest ODI run scorer in the history of women’s cricket
Raj is the highest ODI run scorer in the history of women’s cricket. Her ODI record is 7805 runs. She also holds the record of being the most capped player in women’s ODI. Moreover, she has scored 64 half-centuries which is also a record figure in this format.
Mithali Raj is a rare inspiration and a source of pride for all fans and fraternity in the cricket world. She has made India proud many times.
Mithali has for sure taken the national women’s cricket team to new heights. She retired from all international formats of cricket in June 2022. Mithali Raj is a name that will never get deleted from the history of cricket.
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