WPL gave us more visibility: Sajana
Two women cricketers from Kerala have earned their maiden call-up to the senior India squad for the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh. They are Sajana Sajeevan, who hails from Wayanad, and Thiruvananthapuram native Asha Sobhana. The two had registered stellar performances in the recently concluded Women’s Premier League (WPL).
If Sajana achieved overnight stardom by pulling off a near-impossible win for her team, Mumbai Indians, by whacking the last ball for a must-have maximum, Asha, playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore, scripted history by becoming the first Indian cricketer to achieve a five-wicket haul in WPL when she scalped five wickets for just 22 runs. Both performances came on the duo's debut games for their respective teams.
“The WPL was a big stepping stone. Though I have played numerous matches before at the domestic level and for Kerala, most selectors only glance at the scoresheet. WPL gave us more visibility,” Sajana told TNIE.
To don the blue is a dream come true for the Mananthavady native. “The credit goes to a lot of people. Starting from Elsamma teacher, who in 12th grade urged me to take up cricket professionally, to the state and district cricket associations that had been instrumental in moulding us into the players we are today,” Sajana said.
While I understand that this call-up is for a single series, I hope to put on a good show and sustain that performance to ensure a place in the squad for the upcoming World Cup, said the 29-year-old.
For the five-match T20I series which commences on April 28, Sajana will be joined by Asha Sobhana, under whose captaincy she first donned the Kerala jersey. “Asha is terrific and truly deserves the opportunity,” she adds.
Asha has been the mainstay of the Kerala cricket team and a regular face in the South Central Railway and Puducherry squads. “I waited so long for this call. Usually, most women give up hope after turning 28. They think their chance of getting into the India team is over. In getting this call-up at 33, I believe I serve as an inspiration for many young cricketers,” Asha told TNIE.
She is also all praise for Sajana. “Her inclusion in the squad was expected. She's a brilliant fielder and a hard hitter of the ball. A rare talent,” Asha said.
Last year, Minnu Mani, who also hails from Mananthavady in Wayanad, became the first woman cricketer from the state to get a call-up to the Indian side. Talking about the three inclusions, Vinod Kumar, the secretary of the Kerala Cricket Association, said, “It is reflective of the good efforts taken by the state cricket body to foster talents. We believe more women cricketers will earn a place on the Indian side in the coming years. We see many potential stars already.”
The 16-member side will be captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, with Smriti Mandhana as her deputy. The series is a litmus test for the two teams as they prepare for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup later this year.