Mithali Raj becomes highest run-scorer across formats in women’s cricket

Indian skipper Mithali Raj became the highest run-scorer in women’s cricket across all three formats during the third One Day International (ODI) against England on Saturday. 

The 38-year-old surpassed England’s Charlotte Edwards’ record of 10,273 runs across formats to achieve the feat. The ODI and Test skipper lifted a length delivery back over Natalie Sciver’s head for a boundary in the 24th over to reach 10,277 runs. 

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New Zealand‘s Suzie Bates is third in the list with 7,849 runs, while West Indies‘ Stefanie Taylor (7,832) and Australia’s Meg Lanning (7,024) are fourth and fifth respectively. 

Raj, who was named to the ICC ODI team of the decade in 2020, also holds the record for the most international caps in women’s cricket. She has featured for India in 11 Tests, 216 ODIs and 89 Twenty20 Internationals. 

Meanwhile, India have been set a target of 220 runs to chase in 47 overs to win the dead-rubber third ODI, after losing the first two of the three-match series. 

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Sciver (49) and skipper Heather Knight (46) missed out on respective fifties with a handy 36 from opener Lauren Winfield-Hill helping the hosts to a competitive total. 

All six Indian bowlers were in among the wickets, with all-rounder Deepti Sharma the pick of them with three.

In reply, India were 93 for the loss of three wickets at the time of writing this article. Young batter Shafali Verma was the first to go, dismissed at 19 by Kate Cross. Jemimah Rodrigues was the next to depart after scoring just four runs, while Smriti Mandhana fell after a well-made 49.