Happy 36th birthday to you legend, our ODI and Test Captain and the highest ODI run scorer. You’re a true champion and queen of our hearts.
Let’s now see some facts and some records from Mithali Raj.
Mithali Raj was born in Jodhpur, Rajasthan on 3 December, 1982. She was born to a Tamil Family. Dorai Raj is her father and Leela Raj her mother. She started playing cricket at the age of 10 and she was picked forå the Indian Team at the age of 17. Currently, she lives in Hyderabad, Telangana. She always wanted to be a dancer of Bharatnatyam, but her dad wanted her to be a cricketer. Other than that, she also loves reading books and she had been seen, many a times, reading books in the dug-out during matches.
She is a right hand batter.
She plays her domestics for Railways.
She has played 197 ODI matches in which she has 7 centuries and 51 half centuries at an average of 51.
She has played 10 test matches, with an average of 51 and has 1 century and 4 half centuries.
She has played 85 T20Is at an average of 37.
She is the only female cricketer to surpass the 6000 run mark in Women’s ODI.
She is the first player to score 7 consecutive 50s in ODIs.
She is also the record holder for most half-centuries in Women’s ODIs.
She became the first player from India to score 2000 run in T20Is, male or female.
She is also the first Woman cricketer to reach 2000 T20Is.
She is the second highest run scorer in Women’s test match with 214 runs in 407 balls and she stayed on ground for 598 minutes.
She is currently at number 3, in ODI batting Rankings.
She is the only cricketer (male or female) to have captained India in more than one ICC ODI World Cup final.
She is also the 1st Indian and the 5th Woman Cricketer, overall to score over 1000 World Cup runs.
She also holds the record for playing the most consecutive Women’s ODIs for a team.
In the captaincy of Mithali Raj, India have been in the finals of ICC World Cup for the 2 times. India have also won Asia Cup in the year 2006 in her captaincy.
She is nicknamed as “Tendulkar of Women’s Cricket” as she is currently the all time leading run scorer for India in all the formats. Mithali Raj practised at school, often playing with Male Cricketers in the nets.
Mithali Raj is a recipient of Arjuna Award for the year 2003.
She was honoured with Padma Shri, in 2015.
She was awarded with Vogue Sportsperson of the year and Youth Sports Icon of Excellence Award, 2017.
You’re an inspiration for young talents, and we really admire you.
We pray that you break and make more records, by your outstanding batting. We also hope that you win more hearts by your phenomenal batting and we wish a lot more success than now.