Former Indian stars to be honoured with stands named at Visakhapatnam Stadium

The former Indian captain, Mithali Raj, will get a stand named after her at the ACA-VDCA stadium in Visakhapatnam on October 12, along with the Indian and Andhra Pradesh wicket-keeper batter, Ravi Kalpana, will also have a stand named after her name on that day. It’s the day when the Blue Brigade will face Australia in the ODI World Cup clash.

Mithali Raj is the leading run-getter in the history of the Women’s ODIs. The Indian batter smashed 7805 runs at an average of 50.68 and a strike rate of 66.19 with the help of 64 fifties and seven centuries at the best score of unbeaten 125 runs. The Rajasthan-born also cracked 2364 runs in the shortest format with 17 fifties.

“The ACA’s tribute to Mithali Raj and Raavi Kalpana reflects a deep commitment to honoring the trailblazers who have redefined women’s cricket in India while inspiring the next generation to dream bigger.” The Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) expressed in a statement.

Mithali Raj and Raavi Kalpana to have stands named after them at ACA-VDCA stadium

In the past, there were stands named after only men’s cricketers, despite the incredible contribution of the women’s players in the game. The current vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, requested during a fireside chat with the minister, Nara Lokesh, at a ‘Breaking Boundaries’ event in August this year.

“Smriti Mandhana’s thoughtful suggestion captured a wider public sentiment. Translating that idea into immediate action reflects our collective commitment to gender parity and to acknowledging the trailblazers of women’s cricket.” Lokesh expressed.

In November last year, Raj was selected as the mentor of Andhra’s women’s cricket team, with her primary responsibilities including nurturing and scouting the young talents across the state. Kalpana, on the other hand, represented the national side in seven ODIs between 2015 and 2016, with her last game coming against Sri Lanka at Ranchi nearly a decade ago.