The cricketing fraternity was eagerly waiting for Virat Kohli to inch past the 10,000-run mark. Much to everyone’s expectations, the run-machine, as usual, played ever so well to become the fastest cricketer on the planet to accomplish the feat in just 205 ODI innings. Everyone showered praise on the Indian skipper Virat Kohli.
On the other end of the spectrum, nobody realised that Mithali Raj registered a record-breaking century in T20I cricket. She didn’t get the credit she deserved. Sadly, no one praised her. Let’s take a moment to appreciate Mithali Raj for her stellar achievement.
Hailed as ‘Lady Sachin’, Mithali Raj essayed a flamboyant 61-ball-105 knock and helped India A bag a vivacious victory over Australia A in the second T20 fixture in Mumbai on Wednesday. With a flurry of 18 boundaries and a sumptuous six, her innings was an absolute peach to watch! We are running short of adjectives and superlatives to describe Mithali in one word!
Mithali’s exquisite timing and placement to good effect saw her reaching the half-century off just 31 balls at a healthy strike rate. Having set the tone in the game, she grew from strength to strength and spiced it up with a century off just 59 deliveries with just a flick of her wrists.
Resounding Resurgence:-
When India was reeling at 66/4, Mithali Raj and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur constructed a solid 85-run partnership, in what was important to push India A to a staggering total of 184/5 in their quota of overs. In reply to India’s mammoth total, Australia A could garner 156/9 as India’s spinners ripped through the defences of the opposition with relative ease by chipping in with wickets in crucial intervals.
Mithali Raj’s staggering 105 is now the highest score set by an Indian woman in the truncated version of the game, surpassing the record set by Smriti Mandhana earlier this year in the KIA Super League.
Well, nobody is against Virat Kohli. We must respect each and every cricketer who come through flying colours. But sadly, women cricketers’ achievements don’t hit the headlines as they are being overlooked because of men’s exploits. We believe that both genders should steal the spotlight.
Be it, men or women, they all represent the same country with pride. The equation is the same! Please remember that! Don’t wait for the media to praise Mithali Raj’s performance.
