Picture Credit: Twitter/@BCCI
Mithali Raj has been playing international cricket for so long now and her contributions to the development of Women's cricket in India have been immense. The ODI captain of the national team is an idol for many young cricketers. Even at the age of 39 years, Raj proudly featured in ICC's ODI team of the year. She has created as well as broken many records. However, a question on her retirement surfaces every now and then. The same happened before India fly to New Zealand for the white-ball series down under and then the World Cup.
Raj, however, has smartly handled the questions around her retirement and she did it once again. The Indian skipper did not give a straightforward answer but rather went with the typical "Let's see, how it goes". When Raj was asked about her retirement plans from international cricket, she said, "Well, let's see how things go there. Right now, my focus is on these two months, that is something I am looking to put all my focus and energy into the series and World Cup" in the virtual press conference.
Notably, in 2019, when Mithali had announced her retirement from T20Is, she had said that the 50-over World Cup would be her swansong.
This will be Mithali's sixth World Cup
Mithali Raj will fly to New Zealand to take part in what will be her sixth world cup. The Rajasthan-born cricketer first featured in the 2000 World Cup and interestingly, it was also hosted in New Zealand. India finished as the semifinalist in 2000 but Raj wants to end the title drought for India this time.
"I think it has been a wonderful journey, not an easy one. There have been struggles but there have been good times too. I think it has come a full circle, my first World Cup was in 2000 in New Zealand and here I am flying to New Zealand for my sixth World Cup. In the 2000 World Cup, India played the semi-finals and lost, this time I want we play the finals and we win. Winning the World Cup has always driven me and it still drives me," said Mithali Raj.
India will first play 5 ODIs and solitary T20I and then will kickstart their World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on 6 March. After that, they will face New Zealand (March 10), West Indies (March 12), England (March 16), Australia (March 19), Bangladesh (March 22), and South Africa (March 27) in the group stage.
India Women's Squad: Mithali Raj (captain), Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Sneh Rana, Jhulan Goswami, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Taniya Bhatia (wicket-keeper), Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav. (ANI)