India U-19 cricket team’s title triumph in Kuala Lumpur recently has put the spotlight on women’s cricket. Two players from the city — G Trisha and K Drithi — and one from Visakhapatnam — Shabnam Shakil — were part of the team.
Moreover, coach Nooshin Al Khadeer and trainer Shalini Mantravadi are also from Hyderabad. It was a double delight for Trisha and Shabnam as they were part of the team that also won the previous edition in South Africa in 2023.
Trisha’s aggregate of 309 runs and seven wickets fetched her the ‘player of the tournament’ award. Along the way, she entered the record books, becoming the first to notch up a century in the tournament — an unbeaten 110 against Scotland.
Though not yet in the league of stars, the very fact that the Women’s Premier League (WPL) features eight players from the Telugu states — Arundhati Reddy (DC), Gouher Sultana (UP Warriorz), Trisha Poojitha (GG, all from Hyderabad), V Sneha Deepthi (DC), Shabnam Shakil (GG), S Meghana (RCB), Anjali Sarvani (UP Warriorz) and N Charan (DC, all Andhra) — is an indication that women’s cricket in these parts is on the right trajectory.
Trisha’s meteoric rise
Trisha’s success is a result of sacrifices. Her parents Rami Reddy and Madhavi moved to Hyderabad from Bhadrachalam when she was seven. Forced to sell their four acres of land to support her, it proved worth the struggle.
Trisha made it to the Hyderabad U-16 team when just eight. By 11, she was in the state U-19 and U-23 teams and was in the senior team by 12.
“I am delighted with the back-to-back World Cup wins. It is great to be the ‘player of the tournament’, which was my target. Now, my target is to debut for the India senior team and win the World Cup… I know what it takes to be in the Indian team. So, the goal is to improve all aspects of my game,” Trisha told STOI.
Not being picked at the WPL auction should only spur the 19-year-old. “I will work hard. I have been spending hours power hitting. If I do my training right and with dedication, I am sure I will make it to WPL.”
Dream come true for Drithi
Off-spinning all-rounder Drithi made it to the team on the back of being the highest wicket-taker for Hyderabad in T20s for two consecutive years.
Having started her career at 13, primarily as a batter, a chance outing with the ball in a local game caught the attention of her coach.
The journey was far from smooth, though. Covid dented Drithi’s chances and she failed to make the state U-16 team. Having missed two seasons, she bounced back to make the state U-19 team.
Zonals followed, and then the national camp for two years, before the national team call-up. “I made my international debut last year in the tri-nation series and then played in ACC Asia Cup. My economical spells helped me get into the Indian U-19 World Cup side,” she said. Though she failed to find a place in the playing XI, she said that to be part of the 15-member squad was a great experience.
“I started cricket for fitness, but my parents pushed me to take it seriously. And now to be part of the World Cup winning team feels great. My dream is to play for the country and in the WPL.”
Living up to expectations
Coach Nooshin reckons Trisha’s performances will motivate others to dream big. “I have worked with Trisha when I was the Hyderabad coach. She was just nine and from then I have seen her work hard. In the last World Cup, she didn’t get much of an opportunity. This time she stepped in as the senior-most player and marshalled the batting. At the fag-end of the tournament, she started picking up vital wickets too.”
Coping with expectations was a challenge well taken, Nooshin said. “When you go into a tournament as defending champions, the stakes are high. We had experience during the first one but this time, there were a lot of youngsters, unknown names. And for them to roll it over for us was great.”
Deja vu for Shalini
It was deja vu for 35-year-old Shalini, who was also the trainer during India’s triumph in South Africa. “The first one (in 2023) was special. And winning the next one was more special because we showed we are the best even now.”
Increased awareness of fitness is also a factor. “There is a lot of awareness about fitness and power hitting now. They follow men’s cricket, and now even women cricketers are very fit. Every player has put in a lot of hard work. They focus on strength training and fitness levels. Now you can see U-16 and U-19 players clearing the boundary. That is a big leap,” Shalini said.
Future bright: Purnima
That women’s cricket presents a rosy picture is because of torch-bearers such as Purnima Rau and Mithali Raj, both Hyderabadis.
“Like Trisha, who has done very well, new avenues have opened for younger ones also,” said former India captain Purnima. “Kids from, say 9 to 19 years, can look forward to representing India. The incentives they get now add impetus for parents, coaches and the trainee to put their heart and soul in this. So, playing for India is one thing, getting financially secure is another. That is important.”
WPL a game-changer: Mithali
For former India skipper Mithali Raj, women’s cricket has come a long way.
WPL, Mithali said, has been a great influence on parents and players. “WPL has opened doors for young cricketers to consider sport as a career and has given parents the confidence to support their child’s future in cricket.”
However, Mithali, who is also a consultant for Andhra Cricket Association (ACA), said there is still a lot of room for improvement. “Attention must be given to grassroots. Initiatives such as the ACA’s athlete programmes are crucial. They ensure girls from humble backgrounds receive proper nutrition, which is vital for an athlete’s career. Strengthening the foundation is as important as excelling at the top.”
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This set of Hyderabad players are extremely talented. In three to four years, we will have four to five players in the Indian team, more in WPL. Last year in Hyderabad, we had 220 kids when we had an open selection. This year, we had 450 kids and the number of players from districts increased from 60 to 140. We made 30 teams and played 150-200 matches compared to 90-odd last year. Next year, hopefully, we will double these statistics. But we need more girls from districts.
—- Purnima Rau, former India captain
Back then, only a handful of girls would join academies during summer, but most would stop once school resumed. Today, this has completely changed — sports is a career option. With WPL, opportunities have multiplied. Even if a player doesn’t make it to the national team, they can compete at the highest level in WPL, the next best stage
— Mithali Raj, former India captain: