Cricket is a huge deal in India, even after independence the only time the country comes to a standstill is when India is playing Pakistan. Although men’s cricket is well funded and attracts a broad audience, women’s cricket is still underfunded and under-appreciated. However, Mithali Raj has weathered the storm and completed 20 years in professional cricket.

Early Life and Career

Mithali Raj was born on the 3rd of December in Rajasthan. She comes from a defence background and would play cricket with her elder brother and practice in school as well. Due to the nature of her defence background, she embodied perseverance and spirit.

She got her international debut in 1999 when she was picked for an ODI against Ireland. Her debut proved to be impressive as she scored an unbeaten 114 run in the match. This made her only the second woman to achieve this feat. It also made her the youngest player ever to score a century for both men and women’s cricket. She was just 17 years old. She later played her first test match in 2000-01 season when she was picked for the Test coordinate against South Africa in Lucknow.

In the following year, in 2002, she entered her name in the record books by scoring the highest individual score in Women’s Tests around then. It was made during the subsequent test series against England at Taunton when she scored 214 runs outperforming Karen Rolton’s record of an unbeaten 209. Even though that record didn’t stay for long, as Kiran Baluch of Pakistan scored 242 against the West Indies in 2004. She only missed the 2000 world cup due to typhoid.

A stint as the captain of the Indian women’s team

Mithali Raj had already missed two world cups one in 1997 and 2000(due to illness). However, she was selected as the captain for the 2005 edition of the tournament. In this tournament, Mithali Raj single handedly dragged the Indian team to the finals of the world cup.over the course of the competition Mithali Raj scored over 199 runs in 7 matches, including two half-centuries. However, in the final match, Australia proved to be a very tough opponent and won the match. She was also awarded the Arjuna award for cricket in 2003.

Post-2005 World Cup Career and Achievements

In 2006 she led India to their first-ever test victory on English soil. The tournament where Mithali Raj cemented her legacy was the Asia cup. Winning all their matches in 2006, on the way to win the tournament. She managed to win four consecutive Asia cups with team India. It was her performance in these tournaments, which earned her a reputation for having the ability to score quick runs and stay calm and composed in critical situations.

2017 World Cup and t20 Retirement

Mithali Raj had already cemented her place as a legend in women’s cricket. Her performance in 2017 indeed proved her class; she scored her 7th half-century in a world cup format. The team made it to the finals but lost at the final hurdle again , this time to England by 9 runs. Mithali Raj made the country proud as she overcame significant hardships. She has played most of her cricket matches in empty stadiums and trained in under-equipped training facilities. What she has achieved in cricket is nothing short of extraordinary. She recently announced her retirement from t20 cricket so that she could focus on the 2021 world cup

Mithali Raj’s Achievements:

• Youngest debutant to score a century in an ODI.
• Won 4 Asia cups consecutively
• Awarded Arjuna award for cricket in 2003
• Lead India to world cup finals
• She has scored the highest run by a female cricket at 6800runs+
• She is also the only woman to play more than 200 ODI matches.

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• Play Games Online

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• Become a YouTuber

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Due to their popularity, financial success and inspirational qualities, athletes have enormous potential to support a worthy cause. In particular, during the current COVID-19 crisis, selfless sports stars and teams around the world are stepping up to provide financial and other kinds of support during this challenging time.

With many people isolated at home, and many sports fans unable to watch their favorite players or teams at the moment, it’s uplifting to read more about what sports stars are doing during this time to support their communities.

In this post, we’ll cover what some of the most well known sports stars and teams are doing to support COVID-19 relief efforts across the globe.

Selfless Sports Stars and Teams Supporting the Fight Against COVID-19

1. Christiano Ronaldo

Christiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo is an extremely popular and successful Portuguese sports star, so you can bet on him to be making a substantial contribution to the fight against COVID-19 in his native Portugal.

In particular, Ronaldo has donated 1 million Euros to the cause, and together with his agent, has also provided support to hospitals in Lisbon and Porto by donating life-saving medical equipment.

2. Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi

One of the most popular football stars on the planet, Messi has also contributed 1 million Euros to the cause. In particular, this donation has gone to the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, to help them treat victims of the pandemic and to assist with research.

3. Roger Federer

Roger Federer

Together with his wife, Roger Federer has donated 1 million Swiss francs to support vulnerable families in their native Switzerland.

4. Athletes for COVID-19 Relief Fund

In an effort to raise funds, several international athletes have donated items for auction to support the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s COVID-19 Response Fund.

This fundraising initiative allows people from all over the world to take part in a raffle to win a signed item from their favourite sports star, with a minimum donation of 25 dollars required to enter. This fund has been created to support organisations like Feeding America, Healthcare Ready, Meals on Wheels and the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics.

So far, sports stars like Stephen Curry from the Golden State Warriors, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Washington Spirit midfielder Rose Lavelle and tennis champion Bianca Andreescu have contributed to the initiative.

5. English Premier League

In order to support those working on the frontline in healthcare, English Premier League teams like Brighton and Bournemouth have joined a campaign to make 100,00 free tickets available to those working in the National Health Service (NHS).

Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford has also raised money to ensure that no child goes without food during this time, donating 150 000 pounds to feed 600 000 children.

6. National Basketball Association (NBA)

As a group of sports stars admired around the world, several NBA teams have pledged to support hourly workers and stadium staff during this time. These teams include the Dallas Mavericks, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Sacramento Kings, the Philadelphia 76ers and the San Antonio Spurs to name a handful. The Golden State Warriors have also pledged 1 million dollars to a disaster relief fund.

On a personal level, Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers has contributed 100,000 dollars to support staff that work at the team’s stadium. In addition to the team contributions above, other individual players have also made donations to support staff, including Blake Griffin of the Detroit Pistons, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks and Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans.

From a social standpoint, many basketball stars are also helping those in need, including Stephen Curry and his wife, who are contributing to feeding schemes like Feeding America and Alameda County Community Food Bank.

7. Pakistani and Bangaldeshi Cricket Teams

As one of the most popular sports in Pakistan and Bangladesh, several cricket players have become involved in disaster relief efforts. This includes former Pakistani cricket captain Shahid Afridi, who through his charity has helped to distribute various supplies, including food, soap and other essential items.

In Bangladesh, cricketers are contributing half of their salaries to help contribute to COVID-19 relief efforts.

8. National Football League (NFL)

In the NFL, sports star JJ Watt from the Houston Texans, and his wife Kealia Ohai Watt, who plays professional soccer for the Chicago Red Stars, have also donated funds to support those in need in their area, namely to the Houston Food Bank.

Final Thoughts on Selfless Sports Stars and the Fight Against COVID-19

In the post above, we’ve given just a broad overview of the many selfless sports stars who are contributing their time and their resources to help to alleviate the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of course, there are many others who have contributed and continue to contribute to this cause who are not mentioned here. Overall though, it is inspiring to see how many sports stars have stepped up and used their popularity and influence to do good, to help to educate people about the seriousness of the virus, and also to provide a sense of hope to their many fans across the globe during this challenging time.