Reports: Mithali Raj considering T20I retirement post World T20 semis snub
Indian women's unbeaten streak at the 2018 World T20 came to an end when they crashed out in the semifinals against England, who dominated from start to finish. They achieved the 113-run target with ease, completing the chase with more than two overs remaining.
One of the biggest talking points from the match was Mithali Raj's omission from the playing XI. There has been a lot of talk since then regarding the decision made by Harmanpreet Kaur and the team management to drop the veteran.
Now, reports are emerging about the 35-year-old considering retirement from the shortest format of the game.
A source close to the team told Mid-Day that she was unsure about her batting position throughout the tournament and was told about her omission from the playing XI on the day of the match.
"She struggled to sleep peacefully throughout the tournament because there was a lot of uncertainty surrounding her place in the team. There was no clarity over her role in the team and her batting position. She was told about her omission from the semi-final after the warm-up session on match day," the source said.
She missed the T20I against Australia as well due to a knee injury but had recovered well in time for the semifinal encounter against England.
She had hinted about her retirement from the format after India's win against Pakistan in the group stages. However, according to the source, Mithali had never thought about stepping down before the tournament began.
"Before going to the T20 World Cup, she had not thought about giving up on the shortest format. She was keen to play a little more before retiring from it. Probably, the harsh treatment meted to her has forced her to think of quitting from T20s," the source added.