- Shamser Khalid
India Great Mithali Raj Dance Video Goes Viral
Indian cricket fans have been abuzz after a video of former Indian women's cricket team captain, Mithali Raj, dancing to the popular song "Manike" was shared on social media.
The Video
Raj, who is a trained dancer in the classical Indian dance form Bharatnatyam, was seen shaking a leg as Gujarat Giants' mentor ahead of the Women's Premier League (WPL).
In the video, which has quickly gone viral on social media, Mithali can be seen dancing to the popular song Manike Mage Hithe alongside teammates Hurley Gala and Shabnam Shakil. The trio effortlessly grooves to the beat, showing off their skills and getting fans hyped up for the tournament.
The video reminded fans of a childhood picture of Raj in traditional attire that had gone viral on social media in the past.
Response to the Video
Since being posted, the video has garnered nearly 2.4 lakh views and over 3,100 likes, with fans commenting on Mithali's impressive moves and expressing their excitement for the upcoming WPL matches.
One Twitter user even went so far as to call Mithali "multi-talented," saying that she is the "Goddess of cricket," a "great commentator," and now a mentor too. Other fans praised Mithali's infectious smile and asked for more dance moves throughout the tournament.
Raj's Role in WPL
Raj, who retired from international cricket last year, was roped in as Gujarat Giants' mentor for the inaugural edition of the WPL.
The 38-year-old cricketer, who is one of the most prolific run-scorers in women's cricket history, believes that the involvement of corporates will help bring more glory to Indian women's cricket.
"I believe that the high-impact participation of corporates will help hasten the process of eventually bringing more glory to India," Raj said in a media release. "This level of influence can help strengthen the sporting ecosystem, and enhance opportunities for women athletes."
With the WPL starting soon, fans are eagerly awaiting Raj's contributions as a mentor and hoping that the tournament will bring more recognition and opportunities for women cricketers in India.
Who are the Gujarat Giants?
Gujarat Giants is one of the five teams participating in the League. They are also the most expensive franchise in the Women's Premier League auction and have appointed Beth Mooney as their captain.
Racheal Haynes, the former Australian women's team vice-captain, has been named the head coach. Meanwhile, Tushar Arothe and Nooshin Al Khadeer have been appointed as the batting and bowling coaches, respectively.
Gavan Twinning, a renowned fielding coach from Australia, will be the franchise's fielding coach.
The team boasts of players like Ashleigh Gardner, who had a brilliant recently concluded ICC Women's T20 World 2023, and Sneh Rana, Mansi Joshi, and Sophia Dunkley, who can prove to be equally useful in the upcoming matches.
WPL Details
The Women's Premier League 2023 will kick off on March 4th, 2023, with five teams competing against each other, including Gujarat Giants, Mumbai Indians, UP Warriorz, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Delhi Capitals.
The first match of the tournament will be between Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians at the Dr. DY Patil Cricket Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
