Sports
WPL: Perseverance and belief in hardwork pays off for Gujarat Giants’ Tarannum Pathan
New Delhi, Feb 20 (IANS) Despite putting in good performances in the previous domestic season, Tarannum Pathan couldn’t find any takers in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2023 player auction. By her own admission, she felt bad about it, but found solace in backing from her loved ones.
Cut to now, and ahead of the start of 2024 Women’s Premier League (WPL), Tarannum, the off-spin all-rounder, sports a delightful smile, thanks to being roped in by Gujarat Giants at the player auction, where her name came at the end.
“My family supported me a lot at that time and encouraged me by saying ‘you need to put in more hard work’. My friends also supported me a lot at that time and were optimistic in their mindset by saying to me ‘you can put in better performance in next season to get selected by the franchises (in the next season)’,” said Tarannum in a virtual interaction organised by Gujarat Giants.
The Giants, who finished at bottom of points table in WPL 2023, are seeking a turnaround in fortunes at WPL 2024. Though Tarannum is not guaranteed a place in the starting eleven, considering Giants have spin-bowling all-rounders in vice-captain Sneh Rana, Harleen Deol, Dayalan Hemalatha, a platform like the WPL is giving Tarannum the impetus to have a crack at playing for India.
“I have thought about that (national team selection) as in last edition of the WPL, you saw the performers from the competition and from the domestic level being rewarded with selections in the Indian team. It’s a very big opportunity and depends on how one grabs it.
“The thing right now is, whenever you get the chance, you got to perform well. Honestly speaking, the staff here has kept us very freely, instead of saying ‘you got to perform here’ and tell us to ‘give our best and not think much’. If a chance comes, will try to give 110% and it’s in the mind that if I perform at my best here, then Indian team selection is possible.”
Hailing from Baroda, Tarannum grew up playing cricket with her father and paternal uncle at home. “In the colony, where I lived, there used to be only one TV and that was at my house. Like, when an India-Pakistan game used to happen, everyone in the colony would be at my home to watch the match.”
“One day, a friend of my paternal uncle suggested that if you get her to a school, she can make a future in cricket as there is women’s cricket. Plus, at that time, we heard a lot about Jhulan (Goswami) di and Mithali (Raj) di doing well for India in women’s cricket,” she recalls.
At 13, Tarannum was taking baby steps into the world of professional women’s cricket and supporting her at every step was her father Nasir Khan Pathan, who passed away a couple of years ago. “There used to be nothing left in the house, to be honest, not even for eating food. But our papa never made us feel like anything is lacking and fear over what would happen next.
“He would drop and pick me from the practice on cycle for three-four years. Then he would drop and pick me from the club to home in an auto rickshaw, despite not knowing from where the petrol would come for it to run. He remained with me like my best friend, and not just as a father. Whatever I would do at the cricket, I shared with my father. Today, what Tarannum Pathan is right now and what I am known for, it’s all because of my father.”
Going back to her childhood memories, Tarannum remembered copying Harbhajan Singh’s bowling action and would follow Nooshin Al Khadeer, who picked more than 100 wickets for India and is now the bowling coach at the Giants. As of now, she looks up to Ravichandran Ashwin for his variations, but mostly analyses her bowling videos for getting better in bowling department.
“In childhood, I used to bowl off-spin by copying Harbhajan Singh’s action and I used to follow him a lot as he was the best off-spinner around 2006/07, alongside Muttiah Muralitharan. Then, women’s team matches were on too and I used to see Nooshin Al Khadeer’s action too.
“But I mostly followed Harbhajan Singh’s bowling action. In terms of the favourite mode of dismissal, I can’t pinpoint one as a favourite as there have been so many modes of taking wickets.”
Tarranum had made it to an Indian team camp in 2010 and was even picked for the ‘A’ team. In her cricketing journey, she also found help from the Pathan brothers – Irfan and Yusuf, in terms of mental preparation and adding power-hitting skills to her arsenal.
“There’s been huge support from both Irfan and Yusuf Pathan. I used to have positive conversations with them. In terms of power-hitting, Yusuf bhai is the biggest name there and he’s helped me with power-hitting whenever I met him.
“With Irfan bhai, the talk was majorly around getting yourself mentally prepared for playing cricket at the highest level. I have put in the hardwork for power-hitting and seeing what is the best way to hit sixes.”
Despite being a mainstay in the Baroda team and even captaining them, Tarannum felt she wasn’t getting her due and made a switch to Goa ahead of the 2023/24 season. Tarannum picked five wickets in six matches for Goa in the senior women’s T20 trophy at an economy rate of just 4.90, while amassing 99 runs with the bat at a strike-rate of 105.31.
In the senior women’s one-day trophy, she took eight wickets in six matches at an economy rate of 3.59, while making 135 runs with the bat and her highest score being 52 not out. She also took two wickets in three appearances for South Zone in the senior women’s inter zonal T20 trophy, as well as picked four wickets in three appearances in the senior women’s inter zonal one-day trophy.
People in domestic circuit will tell that opportunities to have a crack at the senior team become thin when a player is in late 20s or 30s. But WPL has meant that players like Tarannum, who toil tirelessly in the domestic circuit, get a platform to showcase their talent in front of a larger audience.
Choosing to ignore talk around the age barrier, Tarannum stated her focus was always on performing and being at her fittest best to get into WPL 2024. “There used to be a talk previously about not picking players once they get to a certain age. So, in this case, I try to keep myself as fit as possible.”
“But it never crossed my mind that ‘I am of this age and I should leave cricket as I am not getting selected’. I had the belief that the hardwork put in by me and the aim I have in mind, I will get that one day. I never had the negative thoughts like, ‘Those are younger than me and I am getting older’, as Mithali di and Jhulan di retired just a couple of years ago.”
“Somewhere, I do look up to them as they were playing and were legendary even at 30, then I can also play at that age. I never had thoughts of age barrier and thought was always to maintain the fitness. Yes, I did feel low at times when the selection didn’t happen last time, but I always had the belief that the hardwork put in will be rewarded somehow. Now, I am very happy that the hardwork put in last one year has resulted in WPL selection this time.”
Tarannum’s decade-plus journey in domestic cricket, where she is the current leading wicket-taker from women’s bowlers in Gujarat, has been a tale full of perseverance and the belief in her hardwork paying off. She also feels participating in women’s T20 leagues in Goa and Chhattisgarh last year has been beneficial for her in terms of knowing herself as a player.
“Women’s cricket has changed a lot in India since reaching the 2017 ODI World Cup final. I was talking with my friends that women’s cricket was growing slowly, but I now see that it is developing rapidly on a day-to-day basis, like there is a women’s cricket match happening at either one place or the other. Plus, those games being shown live is also helping the growth of women’s cricket.
“I also played in the T20 leagues of Goa and Chhattisgarh, which helps a lot as you get to meet new people and that comes of advantage in the WPL as you know that a particular player did well in a certain invitational tournament. I feel that playing in those tournaments helped me a lot in terms of my game.”
–IANS
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Bengaluru, Aug 22 (IANS) Shivamogga Lions’ woes continued as they suffered a 28-run defeat to the Mysore Warriors in the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.
Mysore Warriors delivered a well-rounded performance, anchored by Karun Nair’s (45) swift knock, supported by a few other good contributions in the middle order, and highlighted by late-innings fireworks from J Suchith (22*) and Manoj Bhandage (23).
On the bowling front, Vidyadhar Patil (3/29) and Karthik CA (3/31) played crucial roles in restricting the Shivamogga Lions. Sharath HS’ (4/29) lethal spell with the ball and valiant efforts from Abhinav Manohar (46) and Nihal Ullal (46) with the bat couldn’t turn the tide in Shivamogga’s favour.
Chasing 180, Shivamogga Lions got off to a disastrous start, with Vidyadhar Patil’s lethal first over leading to the dismissals of Mohith Bangalore (2) and Dheeraj Mohan (0) in consecutive deliveries. Skipper Nihal Ullal (46) managed to crack a few early boundaries, but Hardik Raj (17) was also removed by Krishnappa Gowtham, leaving the Lions reeling at 41/3 by the end of the powerplay.
K Gowtham then engineered the run out of Rohan Naveen (11), further denting the chase. The in-form Abhinav Manohar (Impact Player) joined Ullal, and the duo breathed life into the innings, putting together a 70-run partnership in just 43 balls.
However, Ullal fell short of his first half-century of the season, leaving the Shivamogga Lions at 123/5 in 15.1 overs. Manohar also narrowly missed his milestone, holing out to K Gowtham off Karthik CA. Manohar’s 26-ball knock included four sixes and three fours, adding valuable runs to the total.
Karthik CA struck again two deliveries later, dismissing Shivraj S and leaving the Lions in deep trouble. With 47 runs needed from the final 18 balls, Ashok D tried to keep the chase alive by smashing a six and a four off Vidyadhar Patil, but perished in the same over, effectively ending Shivamogga’s prospects. Shivamogga Lions finished at 151/9 in 20 overs, enduring their sixth consecutive loss.
Batting first, Mysore Warriors faced an early challenge as Sharath HS unleashed a menacing spell. He struck in the powerplay, dismissing Karthik SU (8), and then returned in the seventh over to remove CA Karthik (30), who smashed three sixes in a 34-run stand with Karun Nair (45) and Harshil Dharmani (0).
Nair continued in fine touch and peppered the boundary with six fours and two sixes during his 23-ball stay before falling to Ashok D in the 11th over.
Kishan Bedare (17) steered the innings, forming a 28-run partnership with Nair and adding another 29 runs with Sumit Kumar (28) before being caught and bowled by Bharath Dhuri, leaving the Warriors at 116/5 in 16.1 overs. The depth of Mysore’s batting lineup came to the fore as Manoj Bhandage and J Suchith launched a late assault.
Vasuki Koushik, tasked with the 18th over, began with a six and a four from Sumit Kumar. Bhandage then took charge, hammering three consecutive sixes off Koushik in the same over before falling as Sharath’s fourth wicket in the 19th ending a blistering 23-run cameo off just seven balls. J Suchith, carried on the momentum, smashing two sixes and a four in an 8-ball flurry, pushing the Mysore Warriors to a competitive 179/7 in their 20 overs.
Brief scores: Mysore Warriors 179 for 7 in 20 overs (Karthik CA 30, Karun Nair 45, Sumit Kumar 28; Sharath HS 4-29) beat Shivamogga Lions 151/9 in 20 overs (Nihal Ullal 46, Abhinav Manohar 46 runs; Vidyadhar Patil 3-29, Karthik CA 3-31) by 28 runs.
–IANS
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Castle Rock (Colorado), Aug 22 (IANS) Indian Americans Sahith Theegala and Akshay Bhatia who failed to make it to the Top-10 last week at the St Jude Championships, the first of the three Play-offs events, will be looking for a better showing as they move towards the finale at the Tour Championships after that.
Last week Hideki Matsuyama, after leading by five at one time, had to birdie the last two holes to win the St Jude Championships. He became the first Asian to win a Play-off event and it was his 10th PGA Tour win, the highest from the continent.
Last week Bhatia was T-12, Rai was T-16 and Theegala was way behind in T-46, but all three have entered the second of the three Play-offs events.
World No, 2 Xander Schauffele, a two-time Major winner in 2024, was tied second last week with Viktor Hovland, while World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was fourth last week, though World No. 3 Rory McIlroy had a poor week in T-68 place.
Among Asians Korea’s Si Woo Kim has all to play for at the BMW Championship, the second of three FedExCup Playoffs events, in Colorado this week, with two big goals providing the drive for him to step up his game.
The four-time PGA TOUR winner tees up at Castle Pines Golf Club with the intention of breaking into the top-30 of the FedExCup points list and qualify for the Playoffs Finale, the TOUR Championship next week. Kim is presently ranked 44th after last week’s FedEx St. Jude Championship.
A strong week is also required for Kim to keep alive his hopes of earning a spot in the International Team to face the U.S. Team in the Presidents Cup in Royal Montreal next month. Currently 14th on the team roster, the top-6 after this week’s BMW Championship will secure automatic spots, with captain Mike Weir naming six more picks after the TOUR Championship.
Compatriots Sungjae Im and Byeong Hun An, who are 10th and 15th respectively on the FedExCup rankings, are virtually assured of teeing up at the TOUR Championship, which will use a staggered-scoring format based on positions after this week.
Irrespective of how his week plays out, Kim is pleased to secure his top-50 status, which guarantees starts in all eight Signature tournaments next season.
–IANS
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New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) The packed schedule of men’s county cricket in 2025 will remain largely unchanged, despite concerns raised by the majority of players over the impact on their physical well-being.
According to a survey conducted by the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) earlier this season, more than 80 per cent of players expressed fears that the current schedule is too demanding and poses risks to their health.
However, despite these concerns, the 2025 schedule is set to continue as usual. Each county will still compete in a minimum of 14 County Championship matches, eight Metro Bank Cup fixtures, and 14 Vitality T20 Blast games. The changes for next season will be largely cosmetic, offering little relief for players concerned about the gruelling calendar.
The PCA has been advocating for adjustments that would spread out the T20 fixtures across the week, aiming to reduce tight turnarounds and introduce more consistent three-day breaks between Championship games.
“There’s definitely room for improvement in 2025 compared to 2024,” said Daryl Mitchell, the PCA’s interim chief executive, in an interview with ESPNcricinfo. “The schedule can definitely be managed better. Certainly, the Blast was very much looked at through a commercial lens, trying to squeeze as many games as possible into Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Utilizing the majority of the week is probably the way forward, trying to spread them out to give that time for recovery, travel, and preparation.”
The T20 Blast, in particular, has been the main point of debate when it comes to scheduling. The timing of the knockout stages has been a significant concern. In 2023, these stages were held immediately after the group matches in July, allowing counties to retain their overseas players. This year, however, the knockout stages will be pushed to September, giving clubs an extended six-week window to market and sell tickets for home quarter-finals.
While these adjustments offer slight improvements, the overall schedule remains packed, leaving many players apprehensive about how much more they can push themselves physically in the long term. Despite the calls for change, it appears that any significant reduction in the number of fixtures is unlikely in the future, with commercial considerations still driving much of the decision-making process around county cricket.
–IANS
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New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) After ending his T20I career with an elusive T20 World Cup title in Barbados, captain Rohit Sharma revealed that it was his dream to transform the team without thinking too much about the results.
Rohit-led Indian team ended the decade-long ICC title drought after beating South Africa in the final of the T20 World Cup 2024 to lift their second title in the format. In 2023, the Men in Blue failed to win the World Test Championship and 2023 ODI World Cup under Rohit’s leadership after losing to Australia in the finals.
The swashbuckling opening batter also credited the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah, former head coach Rahul Dravid and chief selector Ajit Agarkar for their support in transforming the team and creating a fearless culture in the squad.
“It was my dream to transform this team and not worry too much about stats and results and also to make sure that we create an environment where people can go out and play freely, without thinking too much. I got a lot of help from my three pillars Jay Shah, Rahul Dravid and chairman of selector Ajit Agarkar. That was critical for me to do what I did. Obviously, not to forget players who came in at different points in time and helped the team to achieve what we have achieved today,” Rohit said in a video posted by BCCI on X.
On Wednesday, Rohit was awarded ‘Men’s International Cricketer of the Year’ while Dravid was accorded the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at Ceat Cricket Rating Awards 2023-24 in Mumbai. India’s batting stalwart Virat Kohli was named the ‘Men’s ODI Batter of the Year’ while on the bowling front, Mohammed Shami was awarded the ‘ODI Bowler of the Year’.
The 37-year-old batter finished as the second-highest run-getter in the T20 World Cup with 257 runs including three half-centuries and at a strike rate of 156.70. He played a major role in providing solid starts for the team on the slow pitches of the USA and the West Indies.
After lifting the title, Rohit joined Kohli to announce his retirement from the T20I. With 4,231 runs, Rohit is the leading run-getter in the format behind his teammate Kohli (4188 runs). Both batters will continue to play the other formats of the game. The duo last featured for India in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka earlier this month.
–IANS
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Gotemba (Japan), Aug 22 (IANS) A year after being the youngest ever to make the cut at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Kartik Singh, now 14 years of age, is the highest ranked among the four Indians set to take part in the 15th AAC to be held in Japan.
As of date Kartik is the highest ranked Indian at 199 while the other three players to have received the invitation for this prestigious event are Krishnav Nikhil Chopra and Vedant Sirohi, both past participants in the event and Rakshit Dahiya will be in the four-player team.
Kartik Singh has also been named to the 2024 Junior Presidents Cup team. A regular winner in junior and amateur events, Kartik will spearhead the Indian challenge.
Apart from India’s Kartik Singh, there are seven others named to the 2024 Junior Presidents Cup International Team. They are Joshua Bai, Warut Boonrod, Xihuan Chang, Rayhan Latief, Khanh Hung Le, Thangwin Lee, Anh Minh Ngyuyen,
As many as 113 players have been confirmed for the Championship, which will be held October 3-6, 2024, at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba in Gotemba, Japan. A full list of confirmed players can be found. The field will be 120 with a few more names to be added by the Organisers.
India’s best ever placing has been second place by Rayhan Thomas, who was runner-up in Sentosa, Singapore in 2018. The Dubai-based Indian Rayhan has since turned professional, and last week won his first pro title on India’s Professional Tour of India Tour.
Krishnav, who plays college golf in the US, is the son of former India cricketer turned commentator, Nikhil Chopraa, who often takes the role of a caddie for his son.
Created in 2009, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship was established by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), The R&A and the Masters Tournament to further develop amateur golf in the Asia-Pacific region.
The champion will receive an invitation to compete in the 2025 Masters Tournament and The 153rd Open, while the runner(s)-up will gain a place in Final Qualifying for The Open.
The confirmed list which has players from 38 APGC member organizations is highlighted by defending champion Jasper Stubbs of Australia and four players representing China inside the top 100 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking: Wenyi Ding (No. 4), Xihuan Chang (No. 36), Xiangyun Bai (No. 61) and Paul Chang (No. 97).
Ding finished runner-up to Stubbs in the 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur while Xihuan Chang reached the semi-finals of the U.S. Junior Amateur in July.
Other top-100 participants include Vietnam’s Anh Minh Nguyen (No. 68) and Japan’s Rintaro Nakano (No. 78).
Notable past competitors include 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, and 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith. Over the Championship’s 14-year history, the Championship has served as a springboard to some of the world’s top players, including Matsuyama, Smith, Cameron Davis, Ryan Fox, Si Woo Kim, Satoshi Kodaira, Kyoung-Hoon Lee, Min Woo Lee, Keita Nakajima and C.T. Pan. Collectively, alumni of the Asia-Pacific Amateur have gone on to win 27 tournaments on the PGA Tour to date and more than 130 across the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.
As the host nation, Japan will lead the list of up to 43 APGC member nations represented with 10 players in this year’s field. A player from Japan has won four of the 14 editions of the Championship (Matsuyama/2010, 2011; Takumi Kanaya/2018; Nakajima/2021).
–IANS
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