MITHALI Raj Becomes First Indian Cricketer To Score 2,000 runs In T20 Internationals

HYDERABAD based Star batswoman Mithali Raj has achieved another milestone in her illustrious career by   becoming the first Indian cricketer to amass 2, 000 runs in Twenty20 Internationals matches  she is playing  close to 17  years at home and  overseas. Nicknamed Lady Sachin by cricketer lovers, Jodhpur born cricketer has also captained the Indian cricket team several times.BCCI has congratulated Mithali Raj on her latest feat. Born to Tamil parents 35 years ago when her father was posted by Indian Air Force at Jodhpur,Mithali is the seventh woman to reach 2,000-runs, a list which is being headed by Charlotte Edwards (2,605), followed by Stafanie Taylor (2,582) and Suzie Bates (2,515). India men’s team captain Virat Kohli (1,983) is the next Indian on the list, followed by Rohit Sharma (1,852) and Suresh Rain (14,99).Mithali Raj became the first Indian cricketer, male or female, to reach the 2,000-run milestone in T20 Internationals on Thursday (June 7).Also the leading run-scorer in women’s ODIs with 6373 runs, Raj is now the seventh women cricketer to achieve the T20I feat. The list is headed by former England captain Charlotte Edwards (2605) while the current Windies and New Zealand captains, Stafanie Taylor and Suzie Bates, also have runs in excess of 2500.Raj reached the landmark during India’s seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the ongoing Women’s Asia Cup T20, where she scored a 33-ball 23 in a 108-run chase while opening the batting. She crossed the 2000-run mark upon taking a single off the bowling of Oshadi Ranasinghe in the sixth over of the chase, at Royal Selangor Club, Kuala Lumpur.At the time of her dismissal Raj’s tally read 2,015 T20I runs. Standing at five feet four inch, Mithali opted for cricket after giving up dancing lesson at an early age. Fortunately, her mother Leela Raj was a cricketer and promoted her. The Arjuna Awardee, she was honoured by GOI with Padma Shree in 2015 in recognition to her achievements in sports.  The right handed batswoman made her debut in international cricket against England in 2002 at Lucknow.(inputs from ZEE News)