Indian women’s cricket team led by Mithali Raj is touring in Sri Lanka. The Women’s ODI series between India and Sri Lanka is presently going on. It was a historic moment, for Mithali Raj who has now led in 118 ODIs – the most by anyone in history. Raj went past the existing world record of 117, by Charlotte Edwards of England. Belinda Clark (101 matches) of Australia is the only other woman to have led in over a hundred ODIs. Of current cricketers, Suzie Bates (76, also fourth on the list) is the closest to Raj.
Raj first led India Women in an ODI in 2003-04, against West Indies at Lucknow. She has led India to two World Cup finals, in 2005 in South Africa, and in 2017 in England, to three Asia Cup titles (in 2005, 2006, and 2008), and to a series wins in South Africa earlier this year. Raj has also led India in 32 T20s, but is some distance behind the world record of 93, by Edwards. Despite playing most of her cricket when Women’s Tests were on the verge of extinction, she has nevertheless led India six times.
