Women’s Premier League franchise Gujarat Giants has appointed former India captain Mithali Raj as mentor and advisor for the upcoming inaugural edition of the marquee tournament. The first season of the WPL is scheduled to take place in March 2023. The news was confirmed by Adani Sportsline, the owners of the Gujarat-based franchise.
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The statement talked about how Raj has been a crucial part of the growth of women’s cricket in the country and will join the Gujarat Giants as the mentor and advisor. The former Indian captain will work with the WPL team and will also help in promoting cricket at the grassroot level in Gujarat.
Adani Sportsline’s statement said, “Over the years, Mithali’s trailblazing achievements and contributions to Indian cricket have not only earned her numerous awards and accolades but have also played a key role in bringing women’s cricket into the limelight, both on national and international platforms As a mentor and advisor, Mithali will also promote women’s cricket and help develop the sport at the grassroot level in Gujarat.”
Mithali Raj has been a stalwart of women’s cricket and ended her illustrious career as the highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs. She has also scored 17 half-centuries in her T20I career. The veteran cricketer led the Indian team in the 2017 Women’s ODI Cricket World Cup, where the Women in Blue finished runners-up. She was also part of the Indian team that reached the semi-finals of the 2018 ICC Women’s T20 Cup.
Addressing this new chapter of her cricketing career, Mithali Raj expressed excitement about working with the Gujarat Giants and spoke about the impact of a massive conglomerate like the Adani Group on women’s cricket. She said, “The inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League is a fantastic move for women’s cricket and the involvement of the Adani Group is a massive boost for the sport as well.”
“Women’s cricket is growing steadily, and this kind of impetus will undoubtedly encourage young women to consider taking up cricket professionally. I believe that the high-impact participation of corporates will help hasten the process of eventually bringing more glory to India. This level of influence can help strengthen the sporting ecosystem and enhance opportunities for women athletes,” she added.
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