Raj era ends as Mithali retires from all forms of international cricket

Mithali Raj, the most capped player and highest runscorer in the history of women’s cricket, India’s most successful women’s captain, and a legend who inspired many young girls to take up the game, brought the curtains down on a glittering 23-year career on Wednesday. Having made her debut as a 16-year-old in 1999, Mithali went on to play 12 Tests, 232 ODIs and 89 T20Is. Her aggregate of 10,868 international runs in 333 matches — ODIS, Tests and T20I — will take some beating. The 39-year-old scored 7,805 runs at an average of 50.7 in ODIs — a world record — and led India to 89 victories in 155 ODIs, the most for any woman captain.

(ANI Photo)With most runs in women’s cricket and the only Indian captain — man or woman — to have led the side in two 50-over World Cup finals, the 39-year-old, however, retires without the trophy in her cabinet.

This deep desire to be a World Cup winner was what forced Mithu, as she’s fondly called by family and friends, to push all boundaries. She was reluctant to call it quits without fulfilling her dream but “like all journeys, this one too must come to an end” as she noted in the retirement message, which she tweeted. “I set out as a little girl on the journey to wear the Indian blues as representing your country is the highest honour. The journey was full of highs and some lows. The last 23 years have been the most fulfilling, challenging & enjoyable years of my life,” Mithali said.

Mithali made her ODI debut at 16 and scored an unbeaten 114 against Ireland at Milton Keynes in 1999. “I am one of those players who played from the era of WACI to BCCI, from IWCC to ICC, from empty stadiums to packed ones, from county grounds to international stadiums. I have seen everything that women’s