Mithali Raj credits mentors after BCCI Lifetime Achievement honour at BCCI Naman Awards 2026

New Delhi [India], March 16 (ANI): Former India women's captain Mithali Raj acknowledged the role played by mentors, coaches and teammates throughout her career after being honoured with the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women at the BCCI Naman Awards 2026.

The legendary cricketer Mithali said the recognition was not only a personal milestone but also a reminder of the many individuals who supported her journey in cricket over the years.

"I think there are so many people who played a huge role in my career, just not my parents. Of course, I've had a lot of support from them and every other coach and player, different mentors. But as a sport, I've seen the evolution of women's cricket, and there are so many other people that I need to acknowledge," Mithali said.

The former cricketer also expressed pride at the recent achievements of Indian cricket across categories, noting the strong performances by the men's and women's teams as well as age-group sides.

"The last 2-3 years, Indian cricket, men or women or the under-19 girls or boys, they've been doing immensely well. It's a proud moment as a former cricketer to see the growth of Indian cricket. For the longest time, I wanted Indian cricket to dominate, and the time has come," she said.

Mithali highlighted how women's cricket has steadily grown over the years and credited the influence of leading figures in men's cricket for inspiring players from the women's game.

"Well, I think everything takes time. Even women's cricket had its own journey, so did men's cricket. But we've taken a lot of inspiration from the men cricketers," she said.

The batting great specifically mentioned the guidance she received from cricket legends Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar during interactions at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and the Centre of Excellence (COE).

"I've taken inspiration from Rahul and Sachin because whenever I've bumped into them in NCA or the COE, they've always had a lot to chat about, sport about, batting, and the advice and suggestions really worked for me when I was playing. This interaction between the men and women, I think, helps the women cricketers greatly because we're always trying to catch up with the standards of men's cricket. In that context, both of them have been doing well," Mithali added.

Mithali received the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women for her outstanding contribution to women's cricket. During a career spanning over two decades, she became the highest run-scorer in women's ODIs with 7,805 runs and played a key role in raising the profile of the women's game in India.

As captain, Mithali led India to two ICC Women's World Cup finals, inspiring a generation of cricketers and helping elevate Indian women's cricket on the global stage. (ANI)

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