ICC Women's World Cup 2017: Mithali Raj reveals that she wanted to quit cricket after 2009 World Cup
What's the story?
Mithali Raj, the skipper of the Indian Women's team, revealed that she was mulling saying goodbye to cricket after the 2009 World Cup. In an exclusive interview with ESPN Cricinfo, she said that the overturn in the fortunes of women's cricket post the World Cup held in Australia convinced her that there was still a lot that could be invested in the game.
"I thought I would give it a shot up until the 2009 World Cup and then quit after that. But then I realised that 2009 was the time when people started to watch women’s cricket because it was the first World Cup which was televised. It generated a lot of awareness among people. So I thought if I have already sacrificed so much to come so far, I should push a little more," said Mithali.
In case you didn't know...
In 2009, the Indian women's team made it to the semifinals of the ICC Women's World Cup but had to settle for the third position in the tournament. During that time, Mithali Raj was a part of the squad. However, she was not in charge of the side.
Also read: ICC Women's World Cup 2017: Cricketers wish Mithali Raj and team before final
In 2017, she has led the Indian team to the finals which will take place at Lord's. Team India's campaign in this World Cup has been memorable and Mithali has been rightfully credited for it.
The details
In the ongoing ICC Women's World Cup, Mithali became the highest run-scorer in women's ODIs, going past 6000 runs. She further explained that the support from her family kept her going even when she had recurring thoughts of giving up.
She further stated that her parents had to struggle a lot and they faced a lot of negativity from the other members of the family. However, they kept supporting her cause and that is the reason why she never gave up.
She also said that in her moments of weakness, she thinks of all the sacrifices that her parents have made and that helps her remain strong and fight back.
What's next?
The Indian Women's team will face the England Women's team in the finals of the 2017 World Cup on Sunday and Mithali will be looking to get her hands on the trophy for the first time.
Author's take
Mithali has set an example for young girls all over India. She is an inspiration to everyone who ever thought of quitting something that they really love. Thankfully, she decided not to give up on the sport eight years ago.
She is an epitome of strength and determination which is reflected very well in the way she leads her team. One of the best female cricketers of her generation, Mithali is the reason behind the changing fortunes of women's cricket in India.