One of the greatest cricketers of all-time and the only women’s cricketer to play at the highest level for more than two decades, Mithali Raj celebrates her 38th birthday on December 03, 2020 (Thursday). Raj is the current captain of the India women’s ODI cricket team and holds the distinction of being the only Indian captain to lead a team to two World Cup finals. A legend of women’s cricket, Raj holds numerous records and achievements to her name and has played an instrumental role in making women’s cricket popular in the country and also worldwide. Mithali Raj Plays Cricket in Saree for a Promotional Campaign Ahead of Women’s Day 2020, Watch Video.

She made her debut at the age of 16 and smashed an unbeaten 114 runs in her maiden appearance for the women’s national team. She has since gone on to represent the national team in 209 WODI matches, 10 W Tests and 89 WT20Is. As she celebrates her 38th birthday, take a look at some records and milestones of Mithali Raj.

  • Mithali Raj is the leading run-scorer in women’s ODIs and is the only women’s cricketer to score 6000 or more runs
  • She is also the first and only women’s cricketer to appear in 200 or more ODI matches. Mithali has so far played 209 WODIs for India
  • Mithali holds the record for most consecutive WODIs appearances without missing a game. She played in 109 successive WODIs matches for India
  • She is the only women’s cricketer to have enjoyed an international career spanning over two decades. Raj, who made her India debut on June 26, 1999, has now played international cricket for more than 20 years. She has the fourth-longest international career among cricketer in all categories
  • Mithali is one of only two women’s cricketers to score more than 5000 WODIs runs and also take 50 or more catches
  • Mithali Raj led India’s women’s team in 132 WODI matches which is a record for most matches as a captain
  • She has scored the most consecutive fifties in women’s ODI cricket. Mithali scored seven consecutive half-centuries in 2017
  • She is still the youngest ever women’s cricketer to score a WODI century. Mithali was 16 years and 205 days old when she hit a hundred against Ireland on her India debut
  • Mithali was the first Indian cricketer to score 2000 or more T20I runs and is still the leading Indian run-scorer in women’s Twenty20 internationals with 2364 runs in 89 matches

Mithali retired from WT20I cricket in September 2019 but is still the captain of the India women’s ODI team. Mithali has scored 6888 runs in 209 WODI matches with the help of seven hundreds and 53 half-centuries. She has also played 89 WT20I matches and scored 2364 runs, which comprises of 17 fifties. Mithali appeared in 10 Test matches for the women’s national team and has a high score of 214 which is the highest in India women’s cricket. She has scored 663 runs in Test matches with one hundred and four half-centuries.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 03, 2020 08:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).