An 18-year-old Patiala girl named Mannat Kashyap has been selected for India’s Under-19 women’s cricket team. The cricketer, who is 18 years old, will now take part in the home series against New Zealand.
The off-spinner on the left arm claimed to have been practising since she was a young girl. When she was nine years old, her father introduced her to the activity. She would play with boys the most of the time since there were no female cricket coaches in this area.
Her father said, “No one in Patiala used to coach girls at the time. Institutes offered that she could play against boys only. I made her play with the boys. It was not easy. Instead of losing confidence, it rather made her strong.”
Kashyap said, “I have played against boys for most of the time. In fact, I started playing with the girls only at championship level. It helped build the confidence.”
The student in Class 12 at Government Girls Senior Secondary School in this city looks up to Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of the Indian Women’s National Cricket Team, and her cousin Nupur Kashyap, who played for Punjab.
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“Seeing didi play cricket made me want to play for India at International level,” she said.
Mannat expressed happiness over girls taking interest in game
She expressed her happiness over girls taking interest in the game. “Earlier, the girls’ matches did not even attract crowds but now, people do watch the game.”
Kashyap’s coach of about six years here, Juhi Jain, said, “Performance wise, she is doing her best.”
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