Top 5 knocks of Mithali Raj in international cricket

Mithali Raj had a glorious career for around 23 years before she called time on her career on June 8, Wednesday. She was one of the finest cricketers that Indian cricket had ever witnessed, and probably the best, that women’s cricket ever had. She was the reason behind the growth of Women’s cricket in India and was the flag bearer of the game. An idol for many young girls, Raj announced her retirement at the age of 39. She entered the field at a very young age of 16 and marked her arrival into the game with a magnificent ton, and managed to score a half-century in the last international game that she played, thereby putting curtains on an enormous career. Since the year 1999, Raj kept breaking and creating records. Having received the Arjuna Award, Padma Shri Award, and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award among many of her achievements, she bid adieu to the game with a total of 10868 career runs, the most by any female cricketer. As the era comes to an end, let us have a look at- Top 5 knocks of Mithali Raj in international cricket 5. 109 vs New Zealand in 2017 Mithali Raj of India. (Photo by Dave Thompson-IDI/IDI via Getty Images) This knock came up during the World Cup of 2017 when India was up against New Zealand, after facing defeats in their previous fixtures. After India’s top-order crumbled, Raj took charge of the game and scored a glorious ton to take her side to a competitive total of 265/7. Her knock consisted of 109 runs from 123 balls, including 11 fours. India needed the victory badly, and Raj’s knock helped the team sail past New Zealand. After she helped her team post the big total, the Indian bowlers did the job by dishing out the opponents for mere 79 runs. India won the match by a staggering 186 runs, and with that victory, the team booked their place in the semi-finals of the global event. The World Cup of 2017 was historic in Indian women’s cricket, as India made it to the finals, before losing the ultimate fixture to England. 4. 103* vs Pakistan Mithali Raj. (Photo Source: Twitter) The Indian team was up against their arch-rivals Pakistan in the 2013 World Cup. India’s run at the global event that year was very disappointing, even though they were the hosts, and they were fighting against Pakistan for the seventh-place playoff in Cuttack. While chasing the 193 runs target put up by Pakistan, Raj led the team from the front and played the captain’s knock. It was a pitch where no other team had chased more than 105 runs, but Raj had a different mindset and a brilliant strategy. She scored an unbeaten knock of 103 runs in 141 balls to chase down the total with four overs to spare and emerge victorious in the game. It was a knock to be remembered as Raj, who won the “Player of the Match” award for her efforts, battled all odds to hand Pakistan a crushing defeat. 3. 91* vs NZ in 2005 Mithali Raj of India. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) This knock against New Zealand can be considered one of the finest knocks by the former India skipper. It was the semi-final match of the 2005 Women’s World Cup, and Raj had suffered a critical knee injury, before walking out to bat in the game. India required the win badly, to make it to their maiden World Cup finals. At a very young age of 23, Raj walked out with the bat, when the team was reduced to 38/2 by the White Ferns. Even with an injury, she batted her way throughout the game and took the pressure on her shoulders. She kept finding the gaps to score boundaries and adding runs to the scoreboard as she could not find a suitable partner on the other end. Her knock helped India reach 204/6, and thanks to the bowlers’ efforts, put curtains on New Zealand’s innings for just 164 runs. Raj’s composure and brilliance on the field helped India to enter the finals of the World Cup for the very first time. 2. 114* vs Ireland in 1999 Mithali Raj. (Photo by Harry Trump-IDI/IDI via Getty Images) Mithali Raj’s debut game against Ireland was a very special one for the team, as well as for herself. The team found a gem of a player in the form of Raj, who proved her worth in the side in her debut game. She marked her arrival in style and dominated the game to start her career. She was paired with another rookie to start the inning. It was the debutants’ day, as they put on a 258-run opening stand. Mithali Raj made her mark on the international stage, by going undefeated with a score of 114. With this knock, Raj had made it clear to the onlookers, that she intended to stay. She became the youngest player in the history of women’s cricket to score a ton and has the record intact, 23 years down the line. She batted throughout 50 overs alongside her opening partner Reshma Gandhi, as the two stitched up an enormous partnership and led the team to a massive 161-run victory. 1. 214 vs England in 2002 Mithali Raj In Test (Photo Source: Twitter) It had been just a couple of years since Mithali Raj had entered the international arena. And her best knock, in the history of her career which lasted for more than two decades, came against England in the 2002 Test match, at The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton. Raj became the youngest cricketer in the history of the game to hit a double century, and back then it was also the highest individual score that was ever registered in the history of women’s cricket. Her knock included 19 boundaries as she batted at a strike rate of 52.57 and scored 214 runs off 407 deliveries. She batted for almost 10 hours, and her sensational knock helped India put up 467 runs in reply to England’s 329. The then 19-year-old Raj stepped in during a crisis and single-handedly got her team out of a tight spot. Though the match ended in a draw, it was a moment of celebration for India, as they had achieved the massive feat against England.

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Top 5 knocks of Mithali Raj in international cricket

Mithali Raj announced her retirement from all forms of international cricket on June 8.

**4. 103* vs Pakistan**

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