Mithali Raj @200: Five Best ODI knocks of the Legend

#3 91* vs New Zealand (Potchefstroom, 2005)

Mithali with the help of middle order coasted India to a good total on the board.

This, by her own assessment is her favourite knock, because it came when the team needed it the most and took India to their first World Cup final. It also needed her to overcome a bad knee injury to drag her team to a challenging total against a strong New Zealand side.

Asked to bat under gloomy skies, and facing some of the fastest bowlers at the time, India were 38/2 in the 14th over when Raj, a young captain hungry to prove herself, got together with Anjum Chopra. The duo began slowly, soaking up the pressure of a modest run-rate, putting the onus on not taking too many risks in their stand of 66 off 18.4 overs.

Raj then found support in the middle order and teed off. Her last 40 runs came at almost a run-a-ball, as India posted 204/6. By then her knee was swollen, and she had to sit out the fielding innings as her team completed a historic 40-run win.