‘Boost for women’s game’
Indian women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj has a new prefix now, Padma Shri. Having soldiered on for 22 years on cricket fields across the world, the humble Hyderabadi feels the award is a boost to all women cricketers in the country where their male counterparts enjoy demigod-like status.
Mithali was overjoyed when Deccan Chronicle broke the news to her on Sunday. “I am very happy to have been given this award. I am glad the hard work I have put in all these years has been recognised and appreciated by the people and the government of India. To receive the award from the President would be such an honour,” the 32year-old said.
“This award is truly an inspiration for me and all the women cricketers to do a lot more for the country,” she added.
Mithali started playing cricket at the age of 10 at the Keyes High School ground in Secunderabad. Seven years of consistent scores on the domestic circuit earned her a place on the national team. She has since represented India in 210 matches across the three formats and scored 6,818 runs which include six centuries and a whopping 47 half-centuries. A parttime bowler, she also has eight wickets to her credit.
Amidst elation, the bat- ting beauty went down memory lane to speak of the tough times. “When I started (in the early 1990s) it was very difficult as women’s cricket was nowhere in the picture — it was definitely not a career option for girls. In fact, when I used to play junior cricket in Hyderabad, I did not even know an Indian women’s cricket team existed,” she giggles.
Soon, she began grabbing the headlines. In 2002, aged 19, Mithali smashed a world record 214 against England in a Test match at Taunton. The record stood for two years before being surpassed. In 2005, she led India to their first World Cup final, which Australia won. The next year, she captained India to their first Test and series victory over England and rounded the year with the Asia Cup. “It’s been a tough and ardous journey,” she says.
However, Mithali is happy with the facilities for women players now. “The general awareness about the game has grown manifold, thanks to the BCCI. The facilities for players have improved tremendously and a lot of girls are taking up the sport now. I see the game growing even more in the next two or three years. I am glad to be part of women’s cricket,” she laughs.