After storming into the recently concluded ICC Women’s World Cup grand finale in England to return as runners-up, India Women team skipper Mithali Raj has been felicitated by V Chamundeswarinath, who’s the Telangana Badminton Association’s (TBA) Vice-president in Hyderabad.
The right-handed batter Mithali, who has played an integral part to clinch one game after another against quality opponents, was awarded a brand new BMW car at the badminton Academy of Pullela Gopichand which is headquartered in Hyderabad.
“We presented a BMW car as promised for becoming the highest run-getter,” Chamundeswarinath was quoted as saying by PTI.
The Women in Blue has shown a lot of character and grit both with the bat and ball to won praises across the cricketing globe before the members of the team and management received a grand welcome back home.
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Interestingly, the 34-year-old Jodhpur-born batter Mithali has presented a luxury car for achieving the feat of becoming a highest individual run scorer in the history of women’s One-day Internationals.
“It’s really wonderful what the team has done. You made a real motivation for all,” maintained the national coach of badminton Pullela Gopichand.
Moreover, Mithali, who’s known for his quality strokes with the bat, has also become the first women cricket to go past 6000-run mark in ODIs. The stylish batter achieved the milestone on June 12 in Bristol while facing Meg Lanning’s Australia.
Setting another record, Mithali registered seven consecutive fifties to become the first batter to do so in the 50-over format.
India was bundled out on 219 in 48.4 after, as Anya Shrubsole claimed six wickets after conceding 46 runs in 9.4 overs. It was the second time in the history of ICC Women’s World Cup when India Eves qualified for the final.
Known for lauding for athletes, Chamundeswarinath, who has praised the efforts of the sportspersons time and time again, similarly in 2007, has also gifted a car to Mithali after becoming the runners-up in 2005 while appreciating the efforts of the skipper.
Calm and composed Mithali has featured in 186 One-day Internationals and 10 Tests while donning the national jersey after making his international debut in 1999 against Ireland Women.
The top-order batter Mithali has amassed 6,190 runs in 167 ODI innings, as she smashed six hundreds and 49 fifties in the same format.
Mithali has also played 63 Twenty20 Internationals in which she registered 1,708 runs.