As the Indian cricket team lifted the ICC Women's Championship trophy, skipper Mithali Raj emerged with a career-best knock of 125 not out. Though Sri Lanka women won by three wickets in the third and final One-Day International on Sunday, Raj's team sealed the series by winning the first two ODIs.
The third match was not in India's favour, but the series win is what matters. India could not defend the total of 253/5, built around Raj’s unbeaten 125 and opener Smriti Mandhana’s 51. The duo had a solid 102-run stand for the second wicket after young Jemimah Rodrigues made an early exit, without even opening her account.
Raj recorded her seventh ODI hundred, the first in 14 months. It came off 143 balls with 14 fours and a six
The star bowlers played their part as Jhulan Goswami and Mansi Joshi ripped through the Lankan middle order. However, the Indians couldn't clinch the match.
READ: Kaur In Arjuna Award Race; But No Khel Ratna For Mithali Raj?
In April, Raj added a new feather to her cap. The 35-year-old right-handed batswoman became the first Indian cricketer to score 2000 runs in Twenty20 Internationals (T20I). Raj even beat Virat Kohli in the race and achieved the feat after scoring a single off Oshadi Ranasinghe en route to her knock of 23 during India’s Women’s T20 Asia Cup match against Sri Lanka in Kuala Lumpur. With this, Mithali stands with a score of 2,015 runs in 75 T20Is. She achieved it with the help of 14 half-centuries. She has a decent average of 38.01 with a highest score of 76 not out.
Raj became the seventh woman to reach 2,000-runs, joining the likes of Charlotte Edwards (2,605), Stafanie Taylor (2,582) and Suzie Bates (2,515)
Raj is a powerful sporting icon from India who has become a household name, particularly after the 2017 Women’s World Cup in England.
More power to you, Captain!
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