Ahead of the high-voltage India-Australia Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 match, the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) will inaugurate the Mithali Raj Stand and the Ravi Kalpana Stand at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, October 12.
This is said to be the first-of-its-kind tribute to women cricketers at the stadium.
The decision was taken after Indian women’s cricketer Smriti Mandhana had suggested to Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh to name two stands at the Vizag cricket stadium after Mithali and Raavi.
As per ACA officials, the decision was fast-tracked following the star batter Smriti’s request during the “Breaking Boundaries” fireside chat in August 2025 with Lokesh, where she highlighted the absence of stadium stands named after leading Indian women cricketers, including at Vizag.
She mentioned that the renaming of such stands would honour the contribution of women cricketers, while also spotlighting their contributions to the game. It would also inspire the next generation of women to enter cricket as a profession.
Acting on Smriti’s appeal, Lokesh immediately consulted the ACA, leading to a prompt resolution to honour women’s cricket icons by naming stands after them at the Vizag venue.
Lokesh said, “Smriti Mandhana’s thoughtful suggestion captured a wider public sentiment. Translating that idea into immediate action reflects our collective commitment to gender parity and to acknowledging the trailblazers of women’s cricket.”
Published on Oct 06, 2025
