Watch: Mentor Mithali Raj dances with Gujarat Giants players ahead of WPL

Twitter was happy to see Mithali Raj but disappointed that she was not playing in the WPL. (Image: Screengrab from video @gujaratgiants/Twitter)

Former India captain and Gujarat Giants mentor Mithali Raj grooved to a popular song ahead of the inaugural Women’s Premier League match on March 4.

Raj danced to Sri Lankan song ‘Manike Mage Hithe’ along with pacer Hurley Gala and Shabnam Shakil in a short clip wearing team jerseys. “When you realise its WPL month!” Gujarat Giants captioned the video.

The 14-second clip is viral with lakhs of views.

! #WPL #WomensPremieLeague #GujaratGiants #Adani #Cricket @M_Raj03 pic.twitter.com/6rIxPyiXXG

— Gujarat Giants (@GujaratGiants) March 1, 2023

“We wish you good luck 2023 WPL but we miss you badly in the field Mithali Raj not playing 11 for Gujarat Giants,” a user wrote.

“Mithali should have played this WPL man,” wrote another.

“My support to Gujarat Giants is solely because of their MENTOR. I am sure I am not the only one feeling this. Lots of love Mithali ji,” one comment read.

“Mithali is a trained classical dancer,” read another alluding to the Mithali Raj biopic “Shaabash Mithu” where the former skipper was shown to be a trained dancer in her childhood.

The 40-year-old is the highest run-scorer in women's international cricket and announced her retirement from all formats of international cricket last year.

Beth Mooney-led Gujarat Giants will go up against Harmanpreet Kaur’s Mumbai Indians in WPL’s first match at the DY Patil Stadium on Saturday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) unveiled the WPL mascot called “Shakti” on social media.

Read: BCCI unveils Women's Premier League mascot 'Shakti'. Watch

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah shared a short, animated clip unveiling the mascot – a tigress – decked up in cricket gear ferociously hitting the ball out of the stadiums. The clip also features the theme song on the upcoming tournament 'Ye toh bas shuruat hai,'. The song was released just days ago and is a tribute to Indian women cricketers who faced numerous hardships before making it.

The WPL is the world's second-largest T20 league after the Indian Premier League and its inaugural season this year will see five teams - Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Giants, Delhi Capitals, and UP Warriorz - battle it out for the trophy.