Mithali Raj registers unwanted Women’s World Cup record with first career golden duck in 5 years

India captain Mithali Raj’s struggle in the ongoing Women’s World Cup 2022 continued as she registered her second career golden duck in ODI cricket during the crucial league game against Bangladesh at the Seddon Park in Hamilton on Tuesday. With the dismissal, Mithali scripted an unwanted Women’s World Cup record.

Mithali has shown signs of struggle in the ongoing tournament. After scoring 31 against arch-rivals Pakistan in India’s tournament opener, Mithali managed scores of 5 and 1 in the matches against New Zealand and West Indies respectively before bouncing back strong and replying her critics in style with a valiant 68 against Australia last week. But the India skipper on Tuesday walked back with a wry smile after incurring a soft dismissal in her very first delivery of the game.

It was a fullish delivery, around off, from Ritu Moni in the 16th over, a delivery after she dismissed Shafali Verma for 42. Mithali pressed forward for a drive, but the ball chipped away straight to Fahima Khatun at cover.

This was Mithali’s seventh career duck in ODI cricket and second golden duck. The only other time she suffered a similar dismissal was against South Africa in 2017 Women’s World Cup.

With both of her golden duck dismissal happening in an ODI World Cup game, Mithali became the first captain the tournament history to suffer two such dismissals. Mithali also remains the only India captain to record a golden duck in Women’s World Cup.

Talking about the game, India had opted to bat first in Hamilton in what is a do-or-die game for the Women in Blue. India had gotten off to a great start with the opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali stitching a 74-run stand before the spin duo of Ritu and Nahida Akhter wreaked havoc to quickly reduce India to 5 down.