Sayka Ishaq: From Kolkata slum to WPL star

0
70
Sayka Ishaq: From Kolkata slum to WPL star

Bengal left-arm spinner Sayka Ishaq has emerged as one of many star gamers of the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) with 15 wickets in 9 matches for Mumbai Indians Women. She is the second highest wicket-taker of the event behind one other left-arm spinner – Sophie Ecclestone of UP Warriors.

On Sunday, when Mumbai face Delhi Capitals Women within the closing on the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, Saika will likely be one of many gamers to be careful for.

It has been a turnaround for the cricketer who wished to give up the sport after struggling a shoulder damage and lacking out on a spot within the Bengal workforce for nearly three years. The break on ladies’s cricket because of the pandemic made issues worse for them.

As the ideas of quitting cricket had been roaming in her thoughts, Sayka referred to as up former India cricketer Mithu Mukherjee. Mithu knew that Sayaka’s cricket had helped put meals on the desk for his household. Sayka misplaced her father in 2018, her mom labored as a maid.

The cellphone name lasted for an hour simply earlier than Durga Puja in 2020 and started with Saika saying, “Maam mai cricket chor dungi. Kuch ho nahi raha idhar (I’m planning to give up cricket as nothing is occurring for me).

The two years from 2018 to 2020 had been the worst for Sayka. His profession was practically over attributable to a shoulder damage. He was dropped from the senior Bengal workforce. Once hailed as a prodigious expertise within the Bengal cricket world, she was now dropping her manner.

“For the first few minutes, it was one way. She let out all her frustration. She was right too, she hadn’t been on the team for three years, and her confidence level was low. After a while I asked her, ‘ Do you know anything other than cricket? There was a pin-drop silence,” Mithu informed The Indian Express.

“She comes from a poor family. His family lives in the Park Circus slum. His mother worked as a domestic help. He had to leave his studies due to financial constraints. Once he started earning from cricket, his life got better,” stated Mithu.

The former participant noticed an absence of a spark in Saika, who was recognized to be a reckless and impetuous.

Mumbai Indians’ Sayka Ishaq together with her teammates in the course of the 2023 Women’s Premier League (WPL) Twenty20 cricket match between Mumbai Indians and UP Warriors at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Friday, March 24, 2023. UP Warriors Shweta Sehrawat’s wicket Let’s have fun PTI picture)

He requested her to fulfill former India Under-19 and Bengal cricketer Sivasagar Singh.

“I got a call from Mithu Di about a girl who played for Bengal, is the sole bread earner of her family, and now wants to quit cricket. He requested me to help Sayka,” Singh recalled.

Sayka will meet Singh quickly, and after watching him bowl for an hour, the previous Bengal all-rounder informed him that he must make some adjustments to be simpler.

He stated, ‘I made it clear that if she desires to work with me, she has to belief me. They should belief my course of,” Singh stated.

Sayaka stated that she’s going to observe each instruction.

Singh was the primary to ask him to alter his size.

He stated, ‘I began batting in opposition to him to know his bowling higher. I noticed that she used to bowl solely on good size. She is not going to depart that stage. I defined to him that this size is nice in 50 overs cricket, however in T20 the size must be pulled again a bit.

Within weeks Singh noticed enchancment, and in three months’ time, she was again within the senior Bengal workforce.

Earlier this yr, when he was picked by Mumbai Indians (Rs 10 lakh), Singh launched a brand new coaching regime for Sayka – bowling in opposition to batsmen who’ve performed Ranji Trophy for the state. It did not begin effectively.

“I instructed him to tear his bowling to shreds. In the first few days she completely dominated them, but slowly she adapted and started beating them with her variations. The fear factor was also gone,” he stated.

Her 15 scalps within the WPL embrace among the greatest names in Australian cricket – Meg Lanning, Alyssa Healy, Tahlia McGrath, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Wareham and Megan Schutt.

He had an instantaneous influence on the WPL. Saika took 12 wickets within the first 4 matches. She then went wicketless within the subsequent three fixtures, and it additionally damage the type of Mumbai Indians, who, after profitable 5 video games in a row, suffered back-to-back defeats. But Sayka has achieved effectively in her final two matches, which definitely augurs effectively for the Harmanpreet Kaur-led aspect for the ultimate in opposition to Meg Lanning’s Delhi Capitals.

After a match, when the broadcaster requested Saika the key of her bowling. She stated: “Bowler hoon, wicket leene liye aayi hoon (I am a bowler, so I am here to take wickets).”

There is a motive that each Singh and Mithu are huge followers of his braveness.

“All the selectors will likely be watching the WPL, and he or she is enjoying beneath India captain Harmanpreet Kaur, which is an enormous bonus. She has change into one of the best left arm spinner of the event.


With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS

Leave a reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here