Mithali Raj conquers 20,000 international run milestone in women’s cricket

Mithali Raj played a knock of 63 runs from 107 balls and she helped the visitors post 225/8 in the allotted fifty overs.

The Indian women’s cricket team skipper Mithali Raj has claimed yet another milestone of her illustrious career during the first ODI against Australia on Tuesday. She has now completed 20,000 international runs in women’s cricket while batting at Harrup Park in Mackay.  

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The 38-year-old played a knock of 63 runs in 107 balls as she helped India to 225 runs in the allotted 50 overs international game. The Indian batting veteran is already the highest scorer in the women’s international game which she achieved earlier this year while touring in England. The two Indian openers consisting of Smriti Mandhana and the young Shafali Verma took the start of the first innings on the front foot to put up 31 runs in the first 4 overs. However. The Aussies brought the fight right back to the openers by dismissing both Mandhana for 16 and Shafali for 8 to reduce India to 38/2 in the 6th over. 

This brought Mithali and Yastika to the crease to try and put on a partnership to keep themselves in the game. Yastika lost her wicket to Darcie Brown in the 26th over before Deepti failed to leave a mark in the game scoring 9 runs. Brown picked put 4 wickets that reduced India to 129/4 in 31 overs. The Indian skipper stood her ground to score 63 runs as it eventually came to an end by Sophie Molineux in the 38th over. India concluded their batting innings by scoring 225/8 in 50 over.

The Aussies chased the target with ease with 54 balls remaining to put a score of 227/1. The 18-year-old Australian fast bowler Darcie Brown was named player of the match after picking up 4 wickets and giving just 33 runs in 9 over. India will play Australia in the 2nd ODI on the 24th of September.