Mithali Raj, Raavi Kalpana Honoured at ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam

The ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday paid tribute to Indian women’s cricket legends. A stand was named after former India captain Mithali Raj, and a gate was dedicated to former wicketkeeper Raavi Kalpana. The ceremony took place before India’s ODI World Cup match against Australia.

International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Jay Shah, BCCI President Mithun Manhas, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh, ACA president and Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath, and Mithali Raj were among the dignitaries present.

The decision follows a request by India star Smriti Mandhana during the “Breaking Boundaries” fireside chat with Minister Lokesh in August 2025. Mandhana highlighted that no stands in Visakhapatnam honoured leading Indian women cricketers and suggested renaming them to celebrate their achievements and inspire the next generation. Acting on her appeal, Minister Lokesh consulted the ACA, which approved the move promptly.

The ACA-VDCA Stadium, officially the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, already has stands named after former India players MSK Prasad and Venugopal Rao.

Mithali Raj retired in 2022 after a 23-year career, holding the record for the most runs in women’s ODIs with 7,805 runs in 232 matches, including seven centuries. She also scored 2,364 runs in 89 T20Is and 699 runs in 12 Tests, with a highest score of 214—the highest by an Indian woman in Test cricket.

Raavi Kalpana played seven ODIs for India between 2015 and 2016. Her rise to the national team has inspired players from the region, including Arundhati Reddy, S Meghana, and N Shree Charani.

The renaming of the stand and gate is seen as a significant step in recognising the achievements of women cricketers and promoting their visibility in Indian sports.