I Am Not Holding On To The Past Anymore - Mithali Raj

Updated - 05 Sep 2019, 01:04 PM

Mithali Raj, Australia, India, Women's T20 World Cup
Images via Reuters/John Sibley - RTX3CHPM

Recently, Mithali Raj has announced retirement from T20 Internationals. She has been the face of the women cricket in India for her incredible batting and captaincy. However, of late, she faced a bit of issue within the management, which didn’t go well. Eventually, the board dismissed head coach and stood in support of her.

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A major controversy broke in November 2018 when Mithali Raj left out of the World T20 semi-final against England. India went on to lose and reports emerged of a rift between Mithali Raj and India’s current T20I skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.

Mithali Raj
Getty

Mithali was also excluded from Indian women’s next T20 International against New Zealand in Wellington in February. Harmanpreet Kaur had explained the decision and said the idea was to give younger girls more opportunity.

My focus is to prepare for the 2021 World Cup:

Mithali said she wants to focus on her ODI career, keeping in mind the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand. Her announcement came as a surprise, considering that she last week made herself available for the home series against South Africa, beginning September 24.

Mithali Raj. (Credits: Getty)

”Whatever happened was definitely in bad taste and uncalled for. For almost two months I had to go through a tough phase. It was very disturbing for me and my family. I am happy that I have moved on and not holding on to the past anymore. My focus is to prepare for 2021 World Cup,” Mithali Raj said to Hindustan Times.

She led India in 32 T20Is India including 3 Women’s T20 World Cups in 2012 (Sri Lanka), 2014 (Bangladesh) and 2016 (India). Mithali Raj was captain when India played their first-ever women’s T20 International in Derby in 2006.

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In 89 T20 Internationals, Mithali scored 2364 runs including 17 fifties with a career-best 97 not out. Mithali Raj played her last T2I against England on March 9, 2019, and remained unbeaten on 30 off 32 balls.

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Mithali Raj