Andhra Cricket Association to honor Mithali Raj & Ravi Kalpana by naming stands at ACA-VDCA Stadium before India vs South Africa ODI on Oct 12.

Visakhapatnam: On October 12, before India’s ODI World Cup match against Australia at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) will honor Mithali Raj and Ravi Kalpana. The stadium will have stands dedicated in their honor to honor their outstanding contributions to cricket.

This historic action reflects a rising appreciation of women cricketers’ achievements to the game and is the first time that stadium stands at the Vizag site have been named after them. Star Indian batter Smriti Mandhana made the suggestion for the program at a “Breaking Boundaries” conversation with Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh in August 2025.

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Mandhana brought up the dearth of notable memorials to female cricket players at major athletic facilities during the discussion. She especially brought up the ACA-VDCA Stadium’s lack of stands bearing the names of female players. She emphasized that honoring female cricket superstars with stadium sections would not only commemorate their accomplishments but also encourage young ladies nationwide to play professional cricket.

Mandhana’s appeal is fulfilled by Nara Lokesh.

Two stands were named after Mithali and Kalpana as a result of Minister Nara Lokesh’s prompt engagement with the ACA in response to Mandhana’s petition. Mandhana’s proposal struck a deep chord with public opinion and represented a larger commitment to female equality in sports, Lokesh said.

Smriti Mandhana’s well-considered proposal reflected a broader public opinion. “Putting that concept into practice right away demonstrates our shared dedication to gender equality and to recognizing the pioneers of women’s cricket,” Lokesh stated.

Notably, Mithali scored 10868 runs in international cricket while playing 333 matches for India. India also advanced to the 2017 ODI World Cup final under her direction. In contrast, Kalpana has participated in seven national team games.

However, in the current women’s World Cup, India has won both of their games. On October 9, they will go to Vizag to play South Africa.