Before the Women’s Premier League (WPL) debut season, which will take place in March-April this year, Gujarat Giants has hired former India cricket captain Mithali Raj as a mentor and advisor. The player with the most runs scored in women’s international cricket, Mithali, retired from all formats of the game last year after a 23-year career. The 40-year-old player will mentor the team, promote women’s cricket, and aid in the growth of the game in Gujarat.
In a previous auction, the Ahmedabad franchise had been the most expensive of the five franchises, with Adani Sportsline spending Rs. 1289 crore. According to Mithali, the new BCCI effort would support the steady growth of women’s cricket and inspire young players to pursue a career in the sport. “The inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League is a fantastic move for women’s cricket and the involvement of the Adani Group is a massive boost for the sport as well,” said Mithali on Saturday. “Women’s cricket is growing steadily, and this kind of impetus will undoubtedly encourage young women to consider taking up cricket professionally.
“I believe that the high-impact participation of corporates will help hasten the process of eventually bringing more glory to India. This level of influence can help strengthen the sporting ecosystem and enhance opportunities for women athletes,” she added. Director of Adani Enterprises Pranav Adani referred to Mithali as a role model and expressed the hope that her presence will help draw new talent to other sports outside cricket.
“Mithali Raj is a role model for the young generation and we are delighted to have such an inspirational athlete on board to mentor our women’s cricket team,” said Pranav. “We believe that the presence of international sporting heroes like Mithali will attract new talent not just into cricket but also into every other sport and transform the professional sports ecosystem,” he added.
