At the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam, a stand will be dedicated in honour of former India captain Mithali Raj and wicketkeeper-batter Ravi Kalpana. On October 12, before India’s women’s ODI World Cup match against Australia, the stands will be unveiled.
Following Smriti Mandhana’s suggestion to Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh during the Breaking the Boundaries conversation in August, the decision was made.
“The ACA’s tribute to Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana reflects a deep commitment to honouring the trailblazers who have redefined women’s cricket in India while inspiring the next generation to dream bigger,” the association said in a statement.
According to Minister Lokesh, “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.”
Mithali Raj, a pillar of women’s cricket and a former captain of India, is the player with the most runs in women’s ODIs. She amassed seven hundreds and 7805 runs at an average of 50.68 from 232 ODIs.
Raj scored 699 runs in 19 innings at 43.68 with a maximum score of 214, the highest for an Indian batsman in the format, while she scored 2364 runs with 17 fifties at 37.52 in 89 T20Is. After 23 years of playing the game, she ended her career in 2022 by retiring from all formats.
Between 2015 and 2016, Kalpana participated in seven One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Her ascent to the Indian team has served as an inspiration to a number of regional cricket players, including Arundhati Reddy, S Meghana, and N Shree Charani.
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