The contribution of Mithali Raj to Indian cricket is immense. A 14-year-old child, who was forced to play cricket by her father, has now become the face of women cricket in the country. With sheer determination and hunger for success, Mithali has reached the top.
When she started playing cricket in the last 1990s, very few knew about the existence of women’s cricket in India. Back then, they used to travel by train to play domestic matches and got only a few thousands as match fees. However, as many say, legends are destined for success and no hardships can stop them.
Mithali Raj has worked her way in making the game popular in the country and inspiring lakhs and lakhs of young girls to take up the sport as a profession. Her consistency in scoring runs earned her all the applauds and cheers from everyone and her supreme captaincy skills had led the Indian Team to many memorable victories.
She is all-time leading run-scorer for India across all the formats. The talismanic run-scorer is also a recipient of the Arjuna Award as well as a Padmashree. The 37-year-old in a career over two decades has played many monumental knocks taking India to glory. We will revisit to take a glance at some of her memorable knocks.
Here are the top 5 international knocks by Mithali Raj:
1. India vs. Ireland, ODI 1999
Mithali Raj had a memorable one-day debut against Ireland. Playing at the Milton Keynes, she scored an unbeaten 114 runs to leave an impression on the cricketing world. India fielded two debutants – Mithali and Reshma Gandhi to open the innings after asked to bat first.
They responded well and shared a 258-run partnership toiling with the Ireland bowlers. Chasing a mammoth totally, Ireland women were all out for 97 runs and India won the match by 161 runs.
Mithali Raj was the pick of the batsmen in the match. Only in her first match, Raj left an impression that she is here to stay. After 20 years, the women from Rajasthan is still going strong and leading India on her shoulders.
2. India vs. England, second Test match, 2002
At the age of 19, Mithali Raj in her third Test match broke the record of Karen Rolton of world’s highest individual Test score of 209* by scoring 214 runs against England. Raj showed grit and determination at a young age to defy all odds to bring the only double-century in her career.
In reply to England’s 329 in the first innings, Mithali Raj partnered with skipper Anjum Chopra to lead the charge for India. She also had small partnerships with Hemlata Kala and Jhulan Goswami to give India a crucial lead.
Meanwhile, the monumental knock of 214 runs came from 407 deliveries including 19 boundaries. Mithali batted for 598 minutes to achieve the then highest Test score. Later on, the record of Mithali Raj was surpassed by Kiran Baluch of Pakistan who scored 242 runs against West Indies in 2004.
3. India vs South Africa, Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017
Mithali Raj in this encounter became the second player to score 5,500 ODI runs, after Charlotte Edwards. In this match where the run rate was sluggish in the beginning, Mithali Raj promoted herself to No.3.
A 96 run second-wicket stand between Mithali Raj and Mona Meshram lead the team to victory as South Africa lost the match by 49 runs. This victory almost confirmed the berth of the Indian team in Women’s World Cup 2017.
In a must-win clash, Mithali kept her nerves to play a captains knock and lead her side from the front. She played a 64-run knock from 85 deliveries including 10 boundaries to put India on track. While Mithali Raj has played many match-winning knocks in her career, but this knock will surely go down as one of the top 5 international knocks.
Later that year, India had a great run in the World Cup making it to the finals. Although they lost to England in the finals, but their superb brought a revolution in women’s cricket in India.
4. India vs. New Zealand, ICC Women’s World Cup, 2017:
Indian women were put to bat first by New Zealand in the virtual quarter-final of the World Cup. At one stage, India were 21 for two and Mithali Raj stepped onto the crease. She joined hands with Harmanpreet Kaur to share a 132-run partnership.
Later on, wickets kept tumbling but it was Mithali guarded one end. She carried the innings scoring a match-winning century to help India post a respectable total of 265 runs on the board. It was also her 6th ODI ton.
New Zealand were bowled out for 79 runs by brilliant bowling efforts of the Indian bowlers. India won the match by 186 runs and qualified to play semifinals against Australia.
5. India vs England, 1st ODI, 2012
Mithali Raj scored a brilliant match-winning 94* off 111 deliveries in the first ODI against England at the Lord’s Cricket Stadium. Batting first, England were all out for 229 with Archana Das and N Niranjana derailing the batting.
India lost Mona Meshram early, but a brilliant 106-run stand between Poonam Raut (60) and Mithali Raj (94) steered the visitors to the target. Although Poonam went back after a well-made fifty, Harmanpreet Kaur and Mithali ensured India sail past the target with ease.
Raj showed calm and composure against the likes of Kathrine Brunt and Jenny Gunn to take her side home. Mithali Raj smacked six boundaries in her knock which will easily go as one of her top 5 international knocks.