2017 ICC Women’s World Cup: Mithali Raj Proves She Is The Boss In Women’s Cricket
Jun 25, 2017 at 11:38 AM
‘First match of the World Cup that too against hosts and world number two side England’- the scenario is enough to make any player nervous but India skipper Mithali Raj is an exception by a big distance and it is safe to say that she is the boss in women’s cricket.
At a time when her teammates might have been chalking out their game-plan, the star batsman was seen sitting on the sidelines and reading a book, as she awaited her turn to bat with the Indian openers sending the English bowlers on a leather hunt.
Her time finally arrived when Heather Knight dismissed Smriti Mandhana to end the opening stand of 144 runs and the 34-year old as usual did not disappoint. The holder of several records, Raj went on to add another feather to her illustrious cap by becoming the first woman in cricket history to hit seven consecutive fifties in ODIs. She hit 71 off 73 balls against England to help India post a challenging score 281/3 in their World Cup opener.
But instead of her record-creating knock, the Twitterati were more impressed with her ultra-cool approach before coming out to bat in the important match.
#MithaliRaj – Queen of 🆒#WWC17 pic.twitter.com/F8GvP5oZJa
— ICC Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) June 24, 2017
Just to prove her boss status, after kicking back on a chair & reading a book on the boundary, Mithali Raj comes in to bat in a FLOPPY HAT.
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) June 24, 2017
Mandhana driving like Sanga while Mithali Raj chills out on the side in her pads reading a book. Give them the trophy. Now. #WWC17
— Vithushan Ehantharajah (@Vitu_E) June 24, 2017
My kind of captain. https://t.co/KyCkyaPoar
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) June 24, 2017
Mithali Raj is sitting in a plastic chair reading a book while waiting to bat. Class #WWC17 #EngvInd
— Alan Gardner (@alanroderick) June 24, 2017
I've always had a crush on Mithali Raj. And that sight of her sitting on the sidelines and being immersed in a book just intensified it now.
— Thejaswi Udupa (@udupendra) June 24, 2017
Read a book by boundary before batting
Swag to pitch to face pacers in floppy hat
Score record 7th straight ODI 50#MithaliRaj is a rockstar— Shirin S (@ShirinSadikot) June 24, 2017
With her uber cool attitude leaving one and all impressed, Raj finally decided to reveal the reason what prompted her to read a book during the crunch clash.
After the match ended, she tweeted:
“Well it was a perfect weather for a relaxing read. ??”
Well it was a perfect weather for a relaxing read. 😜😁 https://t.co/7IcOTOViob
— Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03) June 24, 2017
Earlier this week, Raj was all over the news after suggesting that female cricketers should not be compared to their male counterparts. Replying to a journalists’ questioned who had asked her about her favourite male cricketer, she had said:
“Do you ask the same question to a male cricketer? Do you ask them who their favourite female cricketer is? I have always been asked who’s your favourite cricketer but you should ask them who their favourite female cricketer is.”
India’s women team, meanwhile, kick-started their campaign on a brilliant note, defeating the hosts by 35 runs. Half-centuries from Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj and Punam Raut propelled to 281 for three in the allotted 50 overs before the bowlers bowled England out for 246.