Mithali Raj, veteran India batswoman is looking at the ICC Women’s World Cup, which has been postponed due to 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Mithali Raj has her eyes firmly fixed on the coveted trophy.
The World Cup which was originally scheduled to be held in New Zealand in 2021 has been pushed back to February-March 2022 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic that has taken the lives of thousands of people across the globe.
Mithali Raj: Eyes fixed only on Women’s World Cup trophy
The right-handed batswoman Mithali Raj has now featured in five Women’s World Cup editions for India since 2000. ICC has rescheduled the Women’s World Cup which was scheduled to be held in New Zealand from March 2021 to February 2022.
This decision was made with concerns over the preparedness of the players as they have been out of action since this year’s Women’s T20 World Cup which ended in March, the last international tournament before the COVID-19 restrictions were put in place.
“Whilst this is never great news to wake up to. I can understand the reasons why given the lack of cricket in some countries. I just hope those players who were planning to retire after the World Cup can hold on for one year…right Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami and Rachael Haynes,” cricketer-turned-commentator Lisa Sthalekar tweeted following ICC’s decision to postpone Women’s World Cup.
To this, Mithali replied: “Oh absolutely, my eyes are fixed firmly on the trophy. With all niggles recovered, mind and body fresh and stronger than before, I am definitely looking at World Cup 2022.”
Mithali Raj had captained the Indian women to the final of the eves’ World Cup, the last time it happened in 2017 where they faced a narrow defeat against hosts England in the summit clash at cricket’s iconic stadium Lord’s, London. In her international cricket career of 22 years, Mithali Raj has done wonders for the Indian women’s team and is often regarded as India’s greatest female batter. She has represented India in 10 Tests, 209 ODIs, and 89 T20 Internationals scoring 663, 6,888, and 2,364 runs respectively.
Mithali Raj’s Glorious career so far
The right-handed Mithali Raj has so far amassed 6888 runs in 209 ODIs and 663 runs in 10 tests apart from 2364 runs in 89 T20Is. She is one of India’s most successful female cricketers.
The 37-year-old had already declared his retirement from T20 cricket and now wishes to guide her team to win their maiden World Cup for which she has to wait for another two years at least until 2022.
She is the highest run-scorer in women’s international cricket and is the only female cricketer to cross 6000 runs in Women’s ODIs. She is the first player to score seven consecutive fifties in WODIs.
Mithali Raj has the most half-centuries in WODIs and is the first woman cricketer to reach 2000 WT20I runs. She became skipper in 2005 and has captained India, the first Indian either male or female, in more than one ICC ODI World Cup final in 2005 and 2017.