Mithali Raj Played Huge Role In Raising Profile Of Women's Cricket: ICC CEO

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has congratulated India legend, Mithali Raj, for an outstanding 23-year international career during which she broke several records. The 39-year-old, who announced her retirement from all international cricket on Wednesday, led India in this year's ICC Women's Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. She had earlier retired from T20Is in September 2019.

Having debuted at the age of 16 in 1999, Raj has also had the longest international career in women's cricket. It spanned over 23 years.

ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice said Raj is a hero for cricketers around the world and hoped she would continue to contribute to the game in the years to come.

ICC Chief Executive Geoff Allardice: "Mithali is one of the all-time greats of the game. Over the past 23 years, many young girls and boys will have been inspired to take up the sport after watching her. "

"Mithali has played a huge role in raising the profile of women's cricket during a crucial period of its growth and I sincerely hope she will stay involved with the game in the coming years. On behalf of the ICC, I congratulate her for a fantastic career."

She scored a century on her ODI debut in 1999. At 16 years and 205 days, she became the youngest centurion in women's internationals. The record was only broken 22 years later in 2021, when Ireland's Amy Hunter achieved that feat on her 16th birthday.

Raj is one of only two players to have played more than 200 ODIs (the other being longtime teammate Jhulan Goswami). Raj has played the most ODIs - 232.

Raj, who led India to the finals of the ICC Women's World Cups in 2005 and 2017, is the only woman, and only the third cricketer ever, to appear at six ICC (50-over) Cricket World Cups.

Raj is