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After retiring from T20Is, Mithali Raj eyes 2021 World Cup to be her final swansong
Mithali on Tuesday announced her retirement from T20 cricket to focus on the upcoming edition of ODI World Cup
The iconic name in the history of Indian women’s cricket scene, Mithali Raj on Tuesday decided to bring down curtains on her T20I career. Mithali Raj boasted of a very good record of 2364 runs in 89 T20Is with an average of 37.52 and the highest score of 97* with 17 half-centuries.
The former skipper of India Women's team has been under the scanner in the shortest format of the game after the controversy that happened during the 2018 ICC Women’s World T20. She had been reported by the team management for her bad attitude and was dropped for the all-important semi-final match against England women’s team. She had also accused then-coach Romesh Powar and CoA member Diana Edulji of showing bias in a letter to BCCI.
In an exclusive interview with The Times of India, The Hyderabadi cricketer said that she has informed the coach and selectors regarding her future in the T20 side " I had already discussed the issue and also shared it with the coach and selector during the New Zealand tour in January. Even before we got into the T20I series against England, had spoken to them as I could see that I wouldn't be figuring in the next T20 World Cup".
"I am planning for the ODI World Cup as there is a year-and-a-half more to go there is a year-and-a-half more to go. We have enough time to prepare for it as I am one of those players who invests a lot of time in preparation. I want the 2021 World Cup to be my swansong. That is what i am looking at and am working towards it. After T20 World Cup finishes every board will be preparing for the ODI World Cup so that period will be a busy one. That's why this is the time for my preparations to get going".
With T20 World Cup just two years away the selectors can focus on picking up the strong squad for the tournament after Mithali's retirement. The 36-year-old batswoman last played a T20I for India woman in Guwahati against England in March on English team’s tour to India. She had made her debut in the format also against the same team, way back in 2006.
