Mithali Raj Retirement: Senior Indian women batter Mithali Raj announced her international retirement on June 8, 2022.
Raj started to play the game at age of 10 and made her One Day International debut in 1999 against Ireland at Milton Keynes and scored unbeaten 114 runs. Mithali her Test debut in the 2001–02 season against South Africa at Lucknow.
Mithali Raj Announces International Retirement
Veteran batter Mithali Raj in September 2019 announced her retirement from T20Is to focus on ODI cricket. Mithali Raj in her career has represented India Women, Supernovas, India Women Blue, and Velocity.
Mithali Raj announced her heartbreaking announcement via her official Twitter handle. She wrote:
“I set out as a little girl on the journey to wear the India blues as representing your country is the highest honour. The journey was full of highs and some lows. Each event taught me something unique and the last 23 years have been the most fulfilling, challenging & enjoyable years of my life. Like all journeys, this one too must come to an end”.
“Today is the day I retire from all forms of International Cricket. Each time I stepped on the field, I gave my very best with the intent to help India win. I will always cherish the opportunity given to me to represent the tricolour”.
“I feel now is the perfect time to call curtains on my playing career as the team is in the capable hands of some very talented young players and the future of Indian Cricket is bright”.
“I’d like to thank the BCCI & Shri Jay Shah Sir (Honorary Secretary, BCCI) for all the support I have received – first as a player and then as the Captain of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team. It was an honour to have led the team for so many years. It definitely shaped me as a person & hopefully helped shape Indian Women’s Cricket as well”.
“This journey may have ended but another one beckons as I’d love to stay involved in the game I love and contribute to the growth of Women’s Cricket in India and the world over. Special mention to all my fans, thank you for all your love & support”.
Mithali Raj has played 12 tests, 232 ODI’s, and 89 T20I’s and scored 699, 7805, and 2364 runs respectively which includes 8 centuries and 85 half-centuries.
She holds numerous records in international cricket. Following are the details of the notable records of Mithali Raj in International cricket:
- She is the only female cricketer to surpass the 7,000 run mark in Women’s One Day International matches.
- She is the first player to score seven consecutive 50s in ODIs.
- Raj also holds the record for most half-centuries in WODIs.
- In June 2018 during the 2018 Women’s Twenty20 Asia Cup, she became the first player from India (either male or female) to score 2000 runs in T20Is, and also became the first woman cricketer to reach 2000 WT20I runs.
- Raj is the only player (female) to have captained India in more than one ICC ODI World Cup final, doing so twice in 2005 and 2017.
- Mithali Raj became the first woman to play in 200 ODI matches.
- In 2019, she became the first woman to complete 20 years in international cricket.
- Mithali Raj have won Wisden Leading Woman Cricketer in the World in 2017, the Arjuna Award in 2003, the Padma Shri in 2015, and Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna in 2021.
