CHENNAI: When Smriti Mandhana informed Saima Thakor that she would be making her India debut the next day on the bus ride back to the hotel in Ahmedabad, the Mumbai pacer didn't feel anything for a brief while. In fact, even as Renuka Thakur was teasing her saying that she would be up all night Thakor brushed it all away with a smile.
However, that is exactly what happened. With her mother and family having travelled to Ahmedabad to watch the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, Thakor dialled her elder sister in the middle of the night.
"I just called her at 12 in the night and said, 'You take a flight now and get here the next day'," recalls Saima in a conversation with this daily on the sidelines of Mumbai's win against Punjab in the senior women's T20 pre-quarterfinal at the MCA Sachin Tendulkar Gymkhana in Mumbai.
Four hours later, her sister was on a flight to Ahmedabad, and reached on time to watch Saima get her India cap. It was the moment of the family as it was hers. From leaving football to taking up cricket or getting that extra time from parents to pursue her dream of playing the sport or travelling across the Mumbai locals to train and play wherever she can, her sister and the family had been with her every step of the way. It was only fitting that the first time they had come to a stadium to watch a live match, Saima was playing for the country.
"I really wanted her to be there. She has supported me in cricket a lot. She's taking all the responsibility in the house and you know how elder siblings are. I was the lucky one that I have a sister like that, I have an elder brother like that. They've been supporting me and it was really good to see them.
"After taking my first wicket, I was looking at them. I was just happy that they were there. After the game, I saw my mom coming and it was such an emotional moment and it's very close to my heart. Doing something for your parents and when they smile back at you, it's the best thing in the world," she relives the moment with the biggest grin.
Saima's debut did not come as a surprise. The 28-year-old pacer had been toiling in the domestic circuit since 2017 and her part in Mumbai winning the domestic T20 title followed by the Women's Premier League stint with UP Warriorz pushed her into the limelight. She was called up as a travelling reserve for the T20 World Cup where India endured a heartbreak and a week later, Saima was in Ahmedabad fulfilling her dream of playing for the country.
Which is why, despite the rollercoaster of a month she had, the pacer was ready when the moment came. "There are a lot of emotions there. But in the end I have been preparing myself for four-five years. I just had that confidence that I will get that chance and if I am getting that chance I just have to be prepared and ready. I think the feeling (when she finally wore the India cap) I would say was more of a responsibility. Like, I have more responsibility from here. Because, (if) I was playing for my state, I have that responsibility. But I'm playing for India now, I need to take more responsibility, especially if I'm playing in the XI, then everything is my responsibility. I'm going to give my best on the ground, I'll give my 200%."
For a fast bowler who is aggressive as other pacers, Saima is reserved as a person and has learnt to channel her emotions over the years. Whether it is success or failure, she takes it the same way and does not react too much. There has been a conscious effort from her to do that, especially after playing in the WPL, and it has only helped her become a better cricketer and a person.
The limelight, while overwhelming, helped her remain grounded and learn from the best players around. "I've been noticing a lot of the international players, how they try to be in the game. They try to stay in the present. I spoke a lot with the international players, like how they think about cricket. Because it's very different from us. The Australian mindset is different. England's mindset is different and we have a very different mindset. So it was more of how relaxed you are, how you keep your emotions to yourself. That is more important."
As things stand, India are set to travel to Australia next for a white-balls series and have a packed calendar ahead of the ODI World Cup at home next year. Saima, while looking forward to what lies ahead and is mentally preparing herself for that, wants to stay in the present. For her, the primary goal is defending the T20 title with the Mumbai team as they face Railways, one of the strongest sides in the circuit, in the quarterfinal on Friday. "I think we needed this title last year.
We had been working hard and coming close but couldn't make it. Once we got it, I think these girls know how to be champions now. We might have just inspired the next generation. We have a 14-year-old Ira Jadhav who made her debut against Punjab. We need such players to come up and have that khadoos attitude. It will be very important to lift a trophy twice. I believe in this team. They have done amazing things in the past. We have worked much much harder like last year. We are just taking this one match at a time and we are just focussing on that," she signs off.