Further, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Shikhar Dhawan's name will be recommended for the Arjuna Award. Speaking to ANI, sources confirmed, "We had a detailed discussion and it was decided to send in the names of Ashwin and women's Test and ODI skipper Mithali's name for the Khel Ratna. We are recommending Dhawan again for the Arjuna while we will also suggest the names of Rahul and Bumrah."
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has extended the last date of submission of application for the upcoming National Sports Awards 2021. June 21 was the earlier last date for submission.
Mithali was recently in the news for completing 22 years of playing international cricket - the most by any female cricketer in the world. Raj is the first female cricketer and second overall after legendary Sachin Tendulkar to have completed 22 years in international cricket.
Mithali had made her international debut on 26 June 1999. Thus, she completed 22 years in international cricket when she took the field during Indian women’s match against England on Sunday. Only Tendulkar (22 years 91 days) has a longer career than Mithali in international cricket.
Mithali celebrated the occasion by scoring 72 in the first ODI in Bristol although India went on to lose the match by eight wickets. The 38-year-old is the leading run-scorer in women’s ODI cricket. In 215 ODIs, she has amassed 7170 runs at an average of 51.21 with seven hundreds and 56 fifties
--By A Cricket Correspondent
