New Delhi: Mithali Raj, India’s former Twenty20 International captain, has announced her retirement from the shortest format of the game on Tuesday, 3 September.
Mithali made her T20I debut in 2006 and represented India in 89 matches, scoring 2,364 runs at an average of 37.52, including 17 half-centuries. Her top score, an unbeaten 97, came in an Asia Cup match against Malaysia last year.
The 36-year-old captained India in 32 T20Is, and also led her side in three ICC Women’s World T20s in 2012 (Sri Lanka), 2014 (Bangladesh) and 2016 (India). She was the first, and so far, is the only Indian to score 2,000 runs in the shortest format and is No.6 in the T20I run-getters list, behind Suzie Bates, Stafanie Taylor, Charlotte Edwards, Meg Lanning and Deandra Dottin.
Mithali played her last T20I against England earlier this year in March in Guwahati, where she scored an unbeaten 30 off 32 balls.
The former India T20I skipper, who led her side in the 2017 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup final, which they lost to England by nine runs, said she wants to shift her focus on the ODI format with one eye on preparations for the next 50-over marquee tournament, which is scheduled to be held in New Zealand in January and February 2021.
“After representing India in T20 internationals since 2006, I wish to retire from T20Is to focus my energies on readying myself for the 2021 One Day World Cup,” said Mithali.
“It remains my dream to win a World Cup for my country and I want to give it my best. I thank the BCCI for their continuous support and wish the Indian T20 team good luck as they prepare for the home series against South Africa Women.”