Mithali Raj is likely to come out of retirement for the upcoming Women’s IPL. The maiden edition is likely to be played from the first week of March. Plenty of activities are happening ahead of the inaugural Women’s IPL and the names of the five participating teams are likely to be released in the last week of January. While the BCCI has not yet announced the tournament dates, it is understood that the first season, spanning 22 matches, is likely to be played between March 5 and 23.
News of Mithali Raj’s participation will certainly give the tournament a boost as the veteran has been the face of women’s cricket in India for years now. The classy right-hander called it a day in June last year but kept the Women’s IPL option open even then.
Mithali Raj Keeping The Option To Come Out Of Retirement In WIPL 2023 Open; She Hasn’t Yet Decided As WIPL Is Some Months Away
In a July 2022 chat with former England player Isha Guha and ex-New Zealand off-spinner Frankie Mackay on ICC’s 100% Cricket podcast, Mithali Raj dropped the first hint of coming out of retirement for the WIPL 2023.
“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,” Mithali had said.
The 40-year-old has featured in 89 T20Is for the country and accumulated 2,364 runs at a healthy average of 37.52. She last played a T20I game for India back in 2019 against England at home. Mithali Raj continued to play ODI and Tests before hanging her boots in June 2022.
Mithali Raj became the first women’s cricketer to feature in six ODI World Cups. The veteran batter made her World Cup debut in 2000, before also featuring in 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017, and 2022.
Mithali Raj’s Presence In WIPL 2023 Is A Good Advertisement And If Jhulan Goswami Follows Suit, It Would Be A Double Delight
Mithali Raj’s presence will surely be a good advertisement for the league and it could well be a double delight should former India seamer Jhulan Goswami decide to follow suit. The spearhead of India’s bowling for two decades, Jhulan Goswami’s last appearance for the country came in the away series against England in 2022.
Responding to a query then, Jhulan Goswami didn’t say much about participation in the WIPL and kept the focus on her journey with the Indian cricket team. In an international career spanning over two decades – the second longest in women’s international cricket – Jhulan Goswami, who made her debut in 2002, represented India in 12 Tests, 204 ODIs and 68 T20Is picking 355 wickets across formats.
Jhulan Goswami, who went on to play five ODI World Cups – 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2022 – remains the leading wicket-taker in the history of the Women’s World Cups. She also remains the only pacer in women’s cricket to have 250-plus wickets in ODIs.