Mithali Raj, the torchbearer of India women’s cricket for nearly 20 years, was named Sportswoman of the Decade (Cricket) at the 2021 Sportstar Aces Awards.
The India women’s ODI skipper thanked her family and support system – team staff, physios and coaches – for their contribution to the longevity of her career. “I would like to acknowledge the contribution of various coaches who have worked tirelessly towards the growth of my game and my physios and trainers who worked very hard on my fitness and injury management,” she said.
Since making her debut at the age of 16, Mithali has enjoyed tremendous success in all formats. During the recent series against South Africa, she became the first female cricketer to cross 7,000 runs in One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and the second woman in the world after England’s Charlotte Edwards to amass 10,000 international runs.
In 2020, the 38-year-old was named to the ICC’s ODI team of the decade, a fitting honour for her consistency in the sport. She is also the most capped player in the history of the women’s game, having featured in 10 Tests, 214 ODIs and 80 Twenty20 Internationals.
The 2021 edition of the Sportstar ACES Awards honoured the Giants of the Decade in Indian sport, with the winners being assessing on their performance and consistency from 2011 to 2020. Eleven awards were presented under the popular choice category, which was open to public voting, along with 14 jury awards as well as special recognition awards under two new categories – Sports for Good and Giants off the Field – that recognise the work of organisations and individuals who have used sports for the betterment of society.
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