Mithali Raj Becomes First Woman Cricketer To Appear At Six World Cups

Mount Maunganui: Indian women's cricket team skipper Mithali Raj on Sunday became the first woman, and only the third cricketer ever, to appear at six ICC Women's Cricket World Cups.

Leading Indian in the opening game of their World Cup campaign here, the 39-year-old could manage just nine runs in 36 deliveries as she was caught by Pakistan Diana Baig off Nashra Sandhu's bowling on Sunday.

In doing so, Mithali ensured the record enters a new decade — former Pakistan cricketer Javed Miandad appeared in the first six Men's Cricket World Cups between 1975 and 1996 with Sachin Tendulkar beginning his World Cup career in 1992.

By the time Tendulkar's fairy-tale finish came in 2011, Mithali had already captained India at a World Cup after having made her tournament debut in 2000.

As skipper the records keep coming, the right-hander now equals Australian legend Belinda Clark by captaining at her fourth ICC Women's World Cup — Clark's tenure spanning from 1993 to 2005, according to ICC.

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