Former Indian women’s team skipper, Mithali Raj, on December 3, 2022, turned 40 and the on-field cricketing champion, yet again, for her off the field, generous, noble, and trendsetting act, on her birthday won the hearts of many.
Mithali Raj posted a grid of 4 images where she in a traditional Indian outfit, on her birthday was seen serving food to a queue of people. On the grid of images, she commented, “Performed Anna Danam on the occasion of my birthday. It’s the smile on these people’s faces that brightened my day. It’s all about how much love you put into giving.”
Performed Anna Danam on the occasion of my birthday. It’s the smile on these people’s faces that brightened my day. It’s all about how much love you put into giving. pic.twitter.com/oqVXil7F2l
— Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03) December 3, 2022
On the 8th of June, 2022, Mithali Raj announced her retirement from all forms of international cricket and put an end to her 22-year long, illustrious international career which sees her with 7805 runs in 232 One-Day Internationals (ODI), at an average of just over 50. In the shortest, Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) format, she’s scored 2364 runs in 89 matches, and in the longest, Test format has got to 699 runs in 12 Tests, including a century and four half-centuries.
Mithali Raj celebrated her birthday by performing Anna Danam yesterday ❤
What a beautiful gesture on her special day!🙌#CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/kQovZUzzJL
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) December 4, 2022
The 40-year-old, former international, in her ongoing 2nd chapter of life, post-retirement took up her first cricketing assignment as a commentator with Star Sports. She for the first time was heard commentating during Pakistan’s crucial clash against the Netherlands on the 30th of October in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup event.
Fans of Mithali Raj’s batting could well have an opportunity to rejoice as she revealed her plans of coming out of retirement to play in the inaugural edition of the Women’s Indian Premier League (W-IPL) that’s scheduled to be next year in March.
Quoting Mithali Raj from an ICC podcast, “I’m keeping that option open. I’ve not yet decided. There are a few more months to go before the Women’s IPL happens. It would be lovely to be part of the first edition of the Women’s IPL.”
Recently in an interview with Press Trust of India (PTI), Mithali when was asked if owning a team is an option, replied, “Maybe, yes.” She’s kept the fans guessing in what capacity exactly will they be seeing Mithali Raj, the face of Indian women’s cricket feature in the tournament.
Post-retirement, Mithali first was busy with the launch of her movie ‘ShabaashMithu’ which hit big screens, and months later, in September, at the Businessline’s Changemaker of the Year award ceremony she was presented with the ‘Iconic Changemaker of the Year’ award.