Cricketer Mithali Raj believes 2017 World Cup changed India's perspective on women in sport

Mumbai: Legendary cricketer Mithali Raj, who has been playing for two decades, believes that things for women’s cricket changed after last year’s World Cup. [caption id=“attachment_3859543” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Indian women’s cricket team captain Mithali Raj. AFP[/caption] India ended as a runner up in the Women’s World Cup after being defeated by hosts England in the final. “It hasn’t been very easy to take up a sport which was a very male-dominant sport back then in the 90s,” Mithali, who made her ODI debut in 1999, said at an event in Mumbai. “I am sure after the World Cup things have changed for women’s cricket and perception of people in India has changed towards women’s cricket. Things look very good now under the BCCI,” she said at the launch of UN Women’s ‘Mujhe Haq Hai’ anthem. Mithali also said her parents stood by her every time. “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,” she said. She added that as an athlete the biggest challenge she faced was perception of people that sport is not meant for women. “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,” Mithali said.