“It is the pride to play for India that keeps me going. Not many get a chance to play for India and I feel very fortunate to be still playing. The will to do well for India is a big motivation.”

Indian former cricketer

Mithali Raj is an Indian former cricketer, active in the modern era, who captained the national team from 2004 to 2022. She is known as the leading run-scorer in women’s international cricket and for her long service at the top of the game. Her career brought wide recognition in India and beyond, with honors including the Arjuna Award in 2003, the Wisden Leading Woman Cricketer in the World award in 2017, the Padma Shri in 2015, and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna in 2021. ESPN ranked her among the greatest female cricketers of all time.