Indian women’s cricket team’s Test and ODI captain Mithali Raj has admitted that the 2017 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup has changed nation’s perspective on women’s cricket.

Indian women’s cricket team performed impressively in the 2017 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup tournament under Mithali Raj’s captaincy where they finished as a runner-up after losing a very close final against the hosts England women. However, their brilliant performances had been noticed by the nation’s media and the public which is ultimately helping to raise the importance of women’s cricket in the nation.

During the launch of UN Women’s ‘Mujhe Haq Hai’ anthem, Raj said, “It hasn’t been very easy to take up a sport which was a very male-dominant sport back then in the 90s. I am sure after the World Cup things have changed (for women’s cricket)…perception about people in India has changed towards women’s cricket and things look very good from now on under BCCI.”

Making an international debut in 1999, Raj has played 10 Tests, 194 ODIs and 76 T20Is where she has scored a total of 9,062 runs.

While Indian star tennis player Sania Mirza was also present in that launch, Raj spoke about her parents’ hard fighting support.

Raj said, “I am sure, Sania (Mirza) will also agree that we had our parents to support us through thick and thin and that is why they have been the revolutionist to give us the stage and the platform and give us the independence to create our own identity.”

Raj also raised her voice against the society’s mindset on women’s sports. She has admitted that it is the biggest challenge they faced in the long journey.

The 35-year-old Indian women cricketer said, “We need to change the very mindset of our society because that has been the biggest challenge as women athletes we faced in our journey, the perception of people that sports is not meant for women.”