Mithali Raj's parents ecstatic of their daughter's achievements

One of the stalwarts of the game, Mithali Raj has redefined the way women’s cricket was be played and over the years, she has amassed tons of runs and broken innumerable records. In a country where women are considered not fit enough for such tough sports, Mithali challenged the general perceptions and the rest, as they say, is history.

In the ICC Women’s World Cup group stage match against Australia, Mithali went past the legendary Charlotte Edwards to become the all-time highest run-scorer in Women’s ODI cricket history. She also became the first women batter in the history to breach the 6000-run mark in ODIs.

Her stellar 18-year-old career is really worth a standing ovation and her parents Leela Raj and Dorai Raj were over the moon out of happiness. From the legends of the game like Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli to all the Indian cricket admirers had tweeted their elation, and watching which her parents just couldn’t hold on to their emotions.

In an interview with CNN News 18, her father Dorai Raj recalled how things started all those years ago. “I had put my son in cricket camp. Mithali was very lazy, so to wake her up in the morning, I used to take her along. Casually I used to play with her there. It was my friend Jyoti Prasad who spotted the talent and the potential in her. After that there was no looking back,” said her father.

He also said how passionate and courageous she was by sharing an old anecdote. “Once Mithali was playing with boys without helmet. She got injured and got 4 stitches on face. Next day she was on the field again for the match. She was even rewarded for this game,” he recalled.

We never bothered about the society

It’s obvious in a country like India that you won’t be getting the support you aspire for when the female members of your family try to do something different, especially in the middle-classes. It was no different in the case of the Indian skipper, who had overcome all the nonsensical critics and battered them with some flabbergasting display of determination and audacity.

Mithali’s mother Leela Raj said she never bothered what people would think and had always supported her to follow her path. “How can you allow you daughter to play cricket? What if she gets an injury on her face, who will marry her? That time anyone who heard about a girl who was playing cricket, raised questions.”

“I never bothered about these comments. I supported her decision. She chose dancing or cricket, for us her interest was most important. For me my daughter was achieving greater heights every game and I was proud of her. After every injury, I was worried about how soon can she make a come back on field,” she added.