"At 13, I clinched wickets of two well-known players...", says Kashmiri cricketer Sadiya Wani

Meet Kashmir's Sadiya Wani, an 18-year-old girl from Srinagar, who has earned a place in the senior women's cricket team.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir):Young Kashmiri girls, who have now excelled in several different sectors, have added another feather to their cap as many of them are now earning laurels in cricket too. Despite facing challenges like a lack of infrastructure support and encouragement, these young girls from Kashmir are shining in the male-dominated sport of cricket.

Sadiya Wani, an 18-year-old girl from Srinagar has now earned a place in the ICC Indian senior women cricket team after showcasing her talent and astonishing everyone with her game in under-19 and under-23 groups. She was also recently selected for the National Cricket Academy where she is pursuing her training.

Passionate since childhood- Sadiya's tryst with cricket started during her childhood days when she used to play with her brother and the boys of her locality. Speaking to ETV Bharat, Wani said, "while coming back from school one day, I saw girls playing in TRC. Until that day, I did not know that there is anything like professional cricket for girls. I came home and told my brother about the same. He got my registration done in the cricket academy. In the same year, I played my first under-19 match."

Bagging key Wickets-While playing my first under-23 match, I clinched the wickets of two of the well-known players from the Indian team, Nuzhat Parween and Arundhati Reddy. Being the youngest in the team, that was a huge achievement for me, Wani recalled. I'm inspired by Renuka Singh and Ellyse Perry. Hardik Pandya from the India cricket team is my favorite player. As I'm a bowler, I take also inspiration from Umran Malik, she added.

JKCA's role- She was all praises for Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association(JKCA). The JKCA provides equal opportunities to every player irrespective of their gender. Coaches provide excellent coaching during the camps. My family has also been very supportive. Many parents don’t want their girls to opt for sports due to social limitations, but my parents never stopped me from chasing my dreams, she said.

Love for bikes-The 18-year-old devotes most of her time to cricket and studies, but she is also very fond of riding bikes. "As a child, I used to play with boys. Since then, I started imitating them. I liked what they did. That is why I started developing an interest in bike riding. I recently got a driving license and my brother has taught me to ride a bike. I am also learning to perform bike stunts," Wani adds. She can be seen riding bikes on the roads of Srinagar. She is proof that Kashmiri girls are not far behind than any other girl elsewhere in the country.