India’s ODI and Test captain Mithali Raj interacted with students and cricket enthusiasts on December 18 in a virtual event organized by the Lucknow Farmers Market.
With the opinion that Sports brings discipline in one’s life, Raj’s father took her to a cricket academy at the age of nine along with her brother. Looking at her performance in the academy, the coach there tried to convince her father to allow Raj to take up the sport as a career. Though reluctant at first, Raj’s dedication made him agree to it and that’s where cricket got the legendary Mithali Raj.
A report by TOI on the conversation shares Raj’s statement “My parents supported me throughout. I was later selected for the Under-19 team and then for the national team,”
Recipient of the highest sporting honor of India, the Khel Ratna awarded earlier this year, Mithali is, without doubt, one of the most successful woman cricketers and is the reason behind the rise of Women’s cricket in India.
Team India’s Skipper Mithali Raj received Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2021 from President Ram Nath Kovind 🇮🇳😍#MithaliRaj #KhelRatnaAward pic.twitter.com/PexjVxPbg2
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) November 13, 2021
Having played for over two decades now, Raj has filled her cabinet with almost every award. However, the one that still has a vacant space to grab is the World Cup Trophy for which she had led her team to the last stage twice but failed to convert either of them. Next year in New Zealand, she goes for the last try at the title which could also be her last assignment with the women in blue.
From Managing cricket along with studies to captaining the national team in all three formats before retiring from T20I in 2019 and playing an important role with the bat too, Raj has been an inspiration to many. Her calm and fearless attitude of looking at things and dealing with pressure situations is what makes her stand out from others.
On being asked about how she managed to handle pressure, she said,
“One should focus on the present and parents should also encourage children to take their decisions.”
To know more about the success story of this great cricketer, mark your calendar for 4th February 2022 as Raj’s biopic ‘Shabaash Mithu’ starring Taapsee Pannu hit the big screen.
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