INDW v SAW 2019: Mithali Raj achieves another milestone in international cricket

Mithali is currently leading India in the ODI series against South Africa.

Raj has played 204 ODIs so far | Getty Images

Veteran Indian batswomen Mithali Raj has added another feather to her already illustrious career, as she became the first woman cricketer and fourth overall to have One Day International (ODI) career lasting more than 20 years.

The ODI captain achieved the milestone on Wednesday (October 9) when she turned up in blues to play in the series opener of three-match series against South Africa Woman at Vadodara.

Raj, who has scripted and rewritten various records over her career so far, has joined the elite list of Sachin Tendulkar, Sanath Jayasuriya and Javed Miandad who have the longest international careers.

Read Also: Jhulan Goswami, Priya Punia star in India’s emphatic win in the first ODI

Having made her ODI debut against Ireland in 1999, Mithali has completed 20 years and 105 days of her career in the 50-over format and she is now the only female cricketer on the planet to have played ODI cricket for over two decades.

Overall, Indian batting legend Tendulkar holds the record for having the longest one-day international career – 22 years and 91 days followed by Sri Lanka’s Jayasuriya (21 years and 184 days), and Pakistan’s Javed Miandad (20 years and 272 days) and Mithali now is on the fourth spot.

Meanwhile, the right-hander has also the record of playing the highest number of ODIs (204 so far) in women’s cricket to her name followed by England’s Charlotte Edwards (191), Jhulan Goswami (178), Alex Blackwell (144) of Australia.

In the match, Raj scored 11* as India won the match by eight wickets against the Proteas, thanks to brilliant half-centuries from Priya Punia and Jemimah Rodrigues at the Reliance Stadium on Wednesday.

Noteworthy, the 36-year-old has represented India in 10 Tests and 89 T20Is as well.

(With IANS Inputs)

 
 

By Rashmi Nanda - 09 Oct, 2019

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