Mithali Raj Biography: Birth, Age, Early Life, Cricket Career, Records, Awards & More

Mithali Raj Biography:

Mithali Raj, the Indian Women Cricket team's Captain has retired from the world of cricket today. In her recent announcement, she thanked all her supporters for their love. She is the highest run-scorer in the Indian Women's Cricket team. Now she has announced retirement from all forms of International Cricket. She took to her social media handle to make this announcement. 

Take a look at her Twitter announcement below. 

Thank you for all your love & support over the years!
I look forward to my 2nd innings with your blessing and support. pic.twitter.com/OkPUICcU4u

— Mithali Raj (@M_Raj03) June 8, 2022

Mithali Raj was an Indian cricketer and the woman with the most runs in the game. She was also the only Indian captain (male or female) to have led the side to two 50-over World Cup finals. She was a right-handed upper middle-order batter and a right-arm leg-break bowler. She will be considered one of the greatest female cricketers ever and the highest run-scorer in women's international cricket. She holds various records in international cricket. In Women's One Day International matches, she is the only female cricketer to surpass the 7,000 run mark. 

Taapsee Pannu has been acting the role of Mithali Raj in her upcoming project, titled "Shabaash Mithu". The project is a biopic on cricketer Mithali Raj, who is the women's cricket team captain of India and has various cricketing achievements to her name. The film 'Shabaash Mithu' is directed by Srijit Mukherji, produced by Viacom18 Studios, and the creative producer is Ajit Andhare. 

In this Gentlemen’s sport, she did not bother to rewrite history ….. instead she created HER STORY! #AbKhelBadlega #ShabaashMithu Coming soon! #BreakTheBias #ShabaashMithu #ShabaashWomen #ShabaashYou pic.twitter.com/qeztCiCu45

— taapsee pannu (@taapsee) March 21, 2022

Mithali became the first player from India to score 2000 runs in June 2018 during the 2018 Women's Twenty20 Asia Cup. She was also the first female cricketer to score 2000 WT20I runs. She is a personality who has achieved a lot in her career and life. We are all proud of her. Scroll down to learn more about her.

Mithali Raj: Key Facts

Mithali Raj Biography: Early Life, Education, Family, Marriage, 

She was born on December 3, 1982, into a Tamil family in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Her father's name is Dorai Raj, and her mother's name is Leela Raj. Her father was an airman (warrant officer) in the Indian Air Force. When she was 10 years old, she started to play the game. She took admission at Keyes High School for Girls in Hyderabad. And for her intermediate studies, she went to Kasturba Gandhi Junior College for Women in Secunderabad. When she was in the school itself, she started doing cricket coaching with her elder brother. She is not married yet.  She is a Bharatanatyam dancer.

Mithali Raj: Cricket Career and Records

In 1999, she made her One-Day International debut against Ireland and scored an unbeaten 114 runs.

In 2001-02, she made her Test debut against South Africa at Lucknow.

At the age of 19, she broke the record of Karen Rolton's World's highest individual Test score of 209* in her Third Test on August 17, 2002. She scored 214 against England in the second and final Test at the Country Ground, Taunton. 

In March 2004, the record was surpassed by Kiran Baluch of Pakistan by scoring 242 against the West Indies. 

The World Cup made her stronger and more determined. In 2005, she led the Indian cricket team in the first World Cup Final, which was against Australia in South Africa. Under her captaincy, the team went to the final of the World Cup.

She led the side to their first-ever Test and Series victory in England in 2006, and the year was wrapped by winning the Asia Cup, which was the second time in 12 months, that too without losing a single game.

Under her captaincy, the Indian team reached the finals of the 2005 Women's Cricket World Cup, where they lost to Australia.

She also received the Arjuna Award for 2003 year.

She also topped the batting table with 703 ratings.

She was the number one cricketer in the ODI charts among women at the 2013 Women's World Cup.

At the ODI World Cup 2017, she surpassed former England captain Charlotte Edwards to become the highest run-scorer in ODIs and the first woman to score 6000 runs in the format.

Also, her 409-run tally in the tournament was second only to England opener Tammy Beaumont's.

Her three fifties and a century were vital to India's runner-up finish.

At the age of 36, she became the first woman to complete two decades in ODI cricket in October 2019. In September 2019, she announced her retirement from T20I cricket.

She was named as the captain of  India's Test squad in May 2021 for their one-off match against the England women's cricket team. 

She was also named as the captain of India's team in January 2022 for the 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.

She broke the world record for the matches captained in the ICC Women’s World Cup on March 12, 2022. She has surpassed former Australian Skipper Belinda Clark who captained her side in 23 matches.

Mithali Raj: Records

ODI Records

Allround: Batting and fielding

Record - 5000 runs and 50 fielding dismissals

Batting: Most runs

1st- Most runs in career (7663)

32nd- Most runs in a series (535)

7th- Most runs in a calendar year (783)

2nd- Most runs in a match on the losing side (125*)

24th- Most runs on a single ground (386)

7th- Most runs in a series by a captain (535)

12th- Most runs in an innings by a captain (125*)

Batting: Averages and strike rates

5th- Highest career batting average (51.42)

Batting: Debuts and last match

Record- Hundred on debut (114*)

3rd- Most runs in debut match (114*)

Batting: Hundreds

7th- Most hundreds in a career (7)

2nd- Most hundreds against one team (3)

33rd- Highest maiden hundred (114*)

1st- Youngest player to score a hundred 

5th- Oldest player to score a hundred

Batting: Nineties

1st- Most nineties in career (5)

Batting: Fifties

1st- Most fifties in career (69)

1st- Fifties in consecutive innings (7)

Fielding: Most catches

4th- Most catches in career (62)

27th- Most catches in a series (7)

Individual: Players

1st- Most matches in career (227)

1st- Most consecutive matches for a team (109)

40th- Youngest players (16y 205d)

26th- Oldest players (39y 99d)

1st- Longest careers (22y 259d)

T20I Records

Batting: Most runs

7th- Most runs in career (2364)

33rd- Most runs in an innings (97*)

7th- Most runs in a calendar year (575)

24th- Most runs in an innings (by batting position) (97*)

24th- Most runs in a match on the losing side (67)

22nd- Most runs on a single ground (220)

Batting: Fifties

3rd- Most fifties in career (17)

2nd- Fifties in consecutive innings (4)

Batting: Long innings

18th- Highest percentage of runs in a completed inning (60.33)

Batting: Fastest career runs

6th- Fastest to 1000 runs (40)

2nd- Fastest to 2000 runs (70)

Fielding: Most catches

44th- Most catches in career (19)

Individual: Players

28th- Most matches in career (89)

Test Records

Batting: Most runs

23rd- Most runs in career (699)

2nd- Most runs in an innings (214)

9th- Most runs in an innings (progressive record holder) (214)

6th- Most runs in a match (214)

1st- Most runs in an innings (by batting position) (214)

4th- Most runs on a single ground (301)

Batting: Hundreds

1st- Most double hundreds in a career (1)

2nd- Highest maiden hundred (214)

3rd- Youngest player to score a hundred 

1st- Youngest player to score a double hundred 

Batting: Fifties

19th- Most fifties in career (5)

Individual: Players

36th- Most consecutive matches for a team (12*)

27th- Oldest players 

2nd- Longest careers (19y 262d)

_{Source: espncricinfo}

Mithali Raj: Awards

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