Telangana government announces Rs 1 crore cash prize and plot for Mithali Raj

What’s the story?

After scripting a fairy-tale performance in the recently concluded ICC Women’s World Cup in England, the Indian Women’s Cricket Team have been welcomed home with much adulation. After sports minister Vijay Goel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated them, it is now the turn of the state governments.

The Telangana government has announced a cash prize of Rs 1 crore and a house plot for skipper Mithali Raj.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao praised the team for the brilliant performances they put up in their journey to the finals.

"You have played wonderfully at the World Cup. We thought you would surely win in the final too. Unfortunately, we lost by a slender margin. But yet your team performed well and the whole nation watched your performance," a press release quoted Chandrasekhar as saying.

"I also watched the match. You have played very well in this tournament. You have set a record by scoring the highest number of runs. You have exhibited wonderful talent. You are the pride of Telangana and the Hyderabad city," he said.

In case you didn’t know...

This was, according to Mithali, her fifth and probably final World Cup. In the tournament, the Indian skipper became the highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs when she breached the 6000-run mark in the group game against Australia. She was also named the ICC Captain of the Tournament after the finals which India lost by nine runs at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

The heart of the matter

This was the second World Cup final played by India. The last time they made it to the final was in 2005, where they couldn’t get the better of Australia. In the 2017 World Cup, India beat big names like Australia, New Zealand and England to reach the finals. However, the inexperienced lower batting order succumbed to pressure in the finals and couldn’t take the team home.

Mithali's coach, RSR Murthy, was also felicitated, and awarded a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh.

What’s next?

It will be interesting to see if the women’s team are remembered by fans after all the felicitations and media interviews are done.

Author’s take

This is the right time to promote women’s cricket in India at the grassroots level and ensure that all the young players are employed. The board needs to set up better facilities at the state level for future Jhulans and Mithalis to come up in the sport.