Mithali Raj (born 3 December 1982) is a former Indian cricketer who captained the India women’s team for most of her 23-year international career. She is the leading run-scorer in women’s international cricket and the first woman to pass 7,000 runs in One Day Internationals. She led India to the finals of the 2005 and 2017 Women’s World Cups and is widely seen as the player who made women’s cricket popular in India.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Mithali Dorai Raj |
| Born | 3 December 1982, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India |
| Age | 43 |
| Role | Right-handed batter |
| International career | 1999–2022 |
| ODI runs | 7,805 (world record in women’s cricket) |
| Captaincy | India women’s team (2004–2022, with breaks) |
| Honours | Arjuna Award (2003), Padma Shri (2015), Khel Ratna (2021) |
| Known for | Run-scoring records, six World Cups, captaincy |
Early Life
Mithali was born in Jodhpur into a Tamil family; her father, Dorai Raj, was an officer in the Indian Air Force. She grew up in Secunderabad, Hyderabad, and trained as a Bharatanatyam dancer as a child. She first went to cricket practice with her elder brother, and coaches spotted her talent.
Career
Mithali made her ODI debut against Ireland at Milton Keynes in June 1999 and scored an unbeaten 114, a record debut innings at the time. In August 2002, in only her third Test, she scored 214 against England at Taunton, then the highest individual score in women’s Tests.
Mithali became India’s captain in the mid-2000s and led the team to its first World Cup final in 2005, where they lost to Australia. Under her leadership India also won a Test series in England in 2006. She was consistently India’s most reliable batter and became known as “the Sachin Tendulkar of women’s cricket”.
At the 2017 World Cup in England, Mithali scored more than 400 runs and became the leading run-scorer in women’s ODI history. India reached the final at Lord’s, where they lost to England by nine runs; the tournament drew huge television audiences in India and changed the way women’s cricket was seen. She retired from T20 internationals in 2019 and played her sixth World Cup in New Zealand in 2022. She announced her retirement from all international cricket in June 2022.
Life After Cricket
Mithali has worked as a commentator and as a mentor in the Women’s Premier League. A biopic of her life, Shabaash Mithu (2022), starred Taapsee Pannu. She has not married and has said that cricket was always her priority.
Records
Awards and Honours
Frequently Asked Questions
How many runs did Mithali Raj score in ODIs?
She scored 7,805 ODI runs, a world record in women’s cricket, and was the first woman to pass 7,000 ODI runs.
When did Mithali Raj retire?
She retired from T20 internationals in 2019 and announced her retirement from all international cricket in June 2022.
Is there a film on Mithali Raj’s life?
Yes. Shabaash Mithu (2022) is a biopic starring Taapsee Pannu.
Which World Cup finals did she play?
She led India to the finals of the 2005 and 2017 Women’s World Cups, losing to Australia and England respectively.
Which honours has she received?
The Arjuna Award (2003), the Padma Shri (2015) and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (2021).
Featured image: President Pranab Mukherjee presents Mithali Raj with the Padma Shri at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi, 8 April 2015. Photo by President’s Secretariat, licensed under Government Open Data License – India, via Wikimedia Commons.
