India’s One-Day International captain Mithali Raj on Saturday in Worcester created the record for most runs across formats in women’s international cricket, going past the record that was held by Charlotte Edwards.
Mithali was already only the second woman to score more than 10,000 runs in international cricket and she has now overtaken Edwards. The record was created during the run-chase of the third and final ODI of India’s tour of England.
Mithali began the match 11 short of the mark and crossed the milestone with a four down the ground. She scored her third consecutive half-century of the series as well as India avoided a ODI clean sweep, defeating England by four wickets in the rain-curtailed match.
Chasing 220 to win in 47 overs, India earned a consolation win with three balls to spare with Mithali ending unbeaten at 75 off 86 balls.
England vs India 3rd ODI live blog
Mithali had reached the five-figure mark in the third ODI of the home series against South Africa earlier in the year.
Edwards, the former England captain, had made 10,273 runs overall, in a career that stretched from 1996 to 2016. Mithali, on the other hand, made her India debut back in June 1999, in an ODI against Ireland in Milton Keynes.
Most runs in international cricket (women)
| Player | Matches | Runs | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mithali Raj | 317* | 10377* | 46.90* |
| Charlotte Edwards | 309 | 10273 | 37.49 |
| Suzie Bates | 247* | 7849* | 36.17 |
| Stafanie Taylor | 234* | 7818* | 40.71 |
| Meg Lanning | 199* | 7024* | 43.35 |
| Sarah Taylor | 226 | 6533 | 33.16 |
| Karen Rolton | 170 | 6221 | 49.37 |
| Amy Satterthwaite | 236 | 5842 | 31.40 |
| Belinda Clark | 134 | 5767 | 46.88 |
| Claire Taylor | 168 | 5746 | 38.56 |
Mithali said she wanted to be in the midst of action to not only finish the game but also to guide her younger teammates. The game became a bit tense in the end but Mithali held her nerves.
“I never gave up in the middle. It’s being in the middle, because you can’t win the match sitting out in the dugout. I wanted to win the game for the team,” Mithali said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
“We just needed one good partnership to take us through. I knew I could manage the game in the middle overs, but when you have young players you have to guide them.
“I have enjoyed chasing. I wanted to be there and win the game for the team, I picked the bowlers to attack and along the way guided Sneh Rana. It is always good to have an all-rounder in the side, she (Sneh) has been phenomenonal for us throughout the series.”
About her record, Mithali simply said she was happy.