Published: Sep 03, 2019, 02:08 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 03, 2019, 02:08 PM (IST)
Former India T20I captain, Mithali Raj has announced her retirement from T20 Internationals, after making herself available for selection for the home series against South Africa, slated for later this month.
Mithali led India in 32 T20Is including the three Women’s WT20 World Cups in 2012 (Sri Lanka), 2014 (Bangladesh) and 2016 (India).
“After representing India in T20 internationals since 2006, I wish to retire from T20Is to focus my energies on readying myself for the 2021 One Day World Cup. It remains my dream to win a World Cup for my country and I want to give it my best. I thank the BCCI for their continuous support and wish the Indian T20 team good luck as they prepare for the home series against South Africa Women,” said Raj.
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She was also the captain in India Women’s first-ever T20I played in Derby back in 2006. Since that win against England Women, she played another 88 games in which she scored 2364 runs, the most by an Indian woman in T20Is. She was also the first Indian to reach the landmark of 2000 T20I runs.
Even though Raj had made herself available for the South Africa series, it was widely reported that with the focus on youngsters ahead of next year’s World Cup, the selectors may not pick her. The five-match series begins on September 24, while the T20 World Cup is scheduled in Australia in February-March.
The 36-year-old, who is the ODI captain and remains committed to play the 50-over World Cup in 2021.
