India’s ODI skipper Mithali Raj on Thursday smashed yet another half-century as the Women-in-Blue registered a comfortable 52-run win over Ireland and in the process qualified for the next round of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. The match between India and Ireland was played at the Providence Stadium, Guyana.
Mithali Raj scored a calm and composed 51 runs off 56 balls as India posted a total of 145 runs for the loss 6 wickets in 20 overs. In reply, the Irish team struggled to even cross the mark of 100 runs as they scored 93-8 with Radha Yadav finishing with three for 25.
Mithali Raj tops an illustrious list of India’s most prolific T20I run-scorers 💪🇮🇳
1️⃣ @M_Raj03
2️⃣ @ImRo45
3️⃣ @imVkohli
4️⃣ @ImHarmanpreet
5️⃣ @ImRaina
6️⃣ @msdhoni pic.twitter.com/SmQt9LjLzu— ICC (@ICC) November 15, 2018
It was also Mithali Raj’s 17th half-century in the shortest format of the game. Mithali Raj has now surpassed former New Zealand skipper Suzie Bates, Alyssa Healy and Pakistan’s men cricketer Babar Azam to have the most 50-plus scores (combining both men’s and women’s cricketers) in a calendar year.
On Thursday, with the help of her 50, Mithali Raj (2283 runs) also went past New Zealand’s Martin Guptill (2271), who is the highest T20I run-scorer among men’s cricketers. However, the 35-year-old stylish batswoman is still the fourth-highest T20I scorer in the world, standing behind Bates (2961), Stafanie Taylor (2691) and Charlotte Edwards (2605).
After the match, Mithali Raj, while talking about her knee injury that she suffered on Thursday, said, “I’m sure my knee will get better,” before adding, “Today the wicket was quite challenging. The pitch was soft. And playing slower bowlers was difficult, but the partnership with Smriti was crucial.”
India will next take on the mighty Australians on Saturday in their last group match.