Like every other budding cricketer, Pooja Vastrakar was keen on the gully model of the sport. Among the primary to note her expertise was Ashutosh Srivastava, an area cricket coach in Shahdol, a small city in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district.
Srivastava noticed a child smoking sixes off bowlers double her dimension. At first, Srivastava thought Pooja was a boy due to her cropped locks.
“It must be 2010. I used to work at a local cricket academy in Shahdol. I saw her playing at the Municipal ground in Shahdol. I saw a kid smacking sixes in tennis ball cricket. I asked one of the kids, who is this boy, the reply was ‘sir ye toh ladki hai.’ I was amazed by her power-hitting,” Ashutosh Srivastava shared Vastrakar’s early journey with The Indian Express.
A really properly deserved Player of the Match award for @vastrakarp25 for her sensible knock of 67 off 59 deliveries.#CrewIndia #CWC22 #INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/vL0snwIjAu
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) March 6, 2022
Next day Srivastava requested a ten-year-old Pooja if she was taken with enjoying cricket. Pat got here the reply, “Cricket is my passion.” But Srivastava had a situation. He informed his ward that she would solely practice with the boys and never play with ladies.
“She was way too good for the girls of her age. I put her in the boy’s team. She used to play U-14 cricket with the boys. When she started playing with the boys, it turned out that she is the best among the boys of her age group as well,” laughs Srivastava.
“What defines Pooja from others is her confidence. The power is simply the subsequent degree. She is fearless,” he provides.
On Sunday in opposition to Pakistan in India’s opening match in opposition to arch-rivals Pakistan, Pooja displayed her fearless cricket.
What a spectacular efficiency by the Indian ladies in opposition to Pakistan.
That was a thrashing, and in grand fashion.
Pooja Vastrakar with a valiant innings, the ever so dependable Sneh Rana’s nice all-round present & Rajeshwari Gayakwad excellent with the ball.
ChakDe India #IndvPak pic.twitter.com/CyAy04phTt— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) March 6, 2022
When Pooja Vastrakar walked in to bat at No 8, India was reeling at 114 for six, dropping 5 wickets for simply 18 runs. The fearless teen took on Pakistan. It felt like India’s tail was set to wrap up rapidly, however Pooja Vastrakar had different concepts. Vastrakar (67 off 59b; 8×4), together with Sneha Rana (53 not out off 48b; 4×4), placed on a world document partnership of 122 runs for the seventh wicket and turned the tide in favor of India.
She took on the Pakistan bowlers from the phrase go. It was not solely large photographs, however the best way Vastrakar and Rana ran, transformed these ones into twos, and twos into threes that was praiseworthy. Vastrakar confirmed her senior professionals Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur, who have been struggling to get going, the significance of strike rotation.
The two vivid stars for India- Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar. Together; they batted to get one of the best ever seventh wicket partnership in ODI’s. What a day to make historical past. Well performed girls; to make sure an Indian victory #CWC22 #INDvPAK @cricketworldcup @BCCIWomen @SnehRana15 pic.twitter.com/7pMAqssPna
— Anjum Chopra (@chopraanjum) March 6, 2022
Back in Shahdol, Srivastava was not overawed together with his ward’s efficiency.
“I’ve seen her enjoying such innings so many instances. For the Madhya Pradesh Under-19 aspect, she used to bat within the middle-order. Last 12 months, within the JS Anand Trophy (Women’s Senior Tournament), organized by MPCA, she smashed two double lots of and one rating of 150. She is ruthless with the bat,” recollects Srivastava.
Like any Indian athlete, Pooja had her share of struggles. Just a month after becoming a member of the academy in Shahdol, she misplaced her mom. A distraught Pooja wouldn’t go to the academy for a month.
“I was not in Shahdol. When I came back, a fellow coach said that she is not coming to the academy for one month. I immediately went to her house. Usha (Vastrakar), one of her sisters, assured me that she will not miss a single training session ever,” he says.
Brilliant win for #CrewIndia,
The partnership between Sneh & Pooja bought us again within the recreation once we have been 114/6. The neatest thing the 2 did was to rotate strike well & convert 2s into 3s & did not miss out on placing unfastened deliveries away.
Their mindset helped us win.#INDvPAK pic.twitter.com/BxDLU3yTa9
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 6, 2022
Pooja is the youngest among the many seven siblings (5 daughters and two sons), and Usha, who was into athletics, made positive that she would by no means skip her coaching session ever.
“When our mother passed away, Pooja was only 10. she was devastated and when Ashutosh sir visited our house and told us that she is a gifted cricketer, I made up my decision she is going to pursue her passion. We are very proud of her achievements,” says Usha.
Pooja’s father, Bandhan Ram Vastrakar, a retired BSNL worker, could be very blissful together with his daughter’s efficiency however is fearful about her harm.
“I hope it will not be too critical and he or she might be match for the subsequent match. Since the age of 4, she has been into cricket. I by no means thought that she would go on to play for India someday, however she all the time knew it. Whenever she asks for cash for cricket, I’ll tease her why is she losing her time in cricket. She used to say, ‘aap dekhna India khelungi (One day, I’ll play for India),'” says Bandhan Ram.
“I hardly did anything for her. Initially, it was Ashutosh sir, who helped her out. Then when she was picked for the Madya Pradesh Under-19 team, she started earning money and never asked anything from me. She even helped with money during her sister’s marriage,” says a proud father.
Vastrakar was rightly named the Player of the Match for his glorious knock. “I’m very happy, about my first Player of the Match award, in my first World Cup game. The plan was to somehow try and get to 200. I like to bat in pressure situations, even in domestic games. I told the same to Sneh (Rana), to keep the partnership going. The batters told us that the wicket was slow, so the target was 200, but we didn’t bat differently,” Vastrakar informed the broadcasters after the match.
Vastrakar picked up an harm however in keeping with the physio of the Indian crew, it isn’t a matter of concern.
“The physio said that the injury will heal quickly, and I’ll be back soon,” the 22-year-old stated.
India subsequent face New Zealand on March 10.
Many congratulations @BCCIWomen on a complete win in opposition to Pakistan and beginning the World Cup on a spectacular notice. Well performed. Wishing the ladies the perfect for the matches forward. #IndvPak pic.twitter.com/y61tmzIODL
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) March 6, 2022
Brief Scores
India: 244/7 in 50.0 overs (Pooja Vastrakar 67, Sneh Rana 53 not out; Nashra Sandhu 2/36, Nida Dar 2/45); Pakistan: 137 in 43.0 overs (Sidra Ameen 30, Diana Baig 24; Rajeshwari Gayakwad 4/31, Jhulan Goswami 2/26)
India have prolonged their unbeaten run in opposition to Pakistan to 11 video games within the ODIs.
The 122-run stand 122 between Sneh Rana and Pooja Vastrakar is the best stand for the seventh wicket in Women’s ODIs. It can be the primary century partnership for the seventh wicket within the Women’s World Cup.
Pooja Vastrakar grew to become the primary participant to attain a half-century whereas batting at 8 within the Women’s World Cup.
Mithali Raj grew to become solely the third cricketer and the primary girl to seem in six World Cups, becoming a member of the long-lasting Sachin Tendulkar and Pakistani nice Javed Miandad.
Jhulan Goswami grew to become the second-highest wicket-taker within the Women’s World Cup. The veteran pacer is only one wicket behind Australia’s Lyn Fullstone (39).
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
