How Saika Ishaque rose from Kolkata’s slums to India’s cricket team

Saika’s journey to the top was not easy, as she faced many challenges and hardships along the way. She was born in a poor Muslim family, where her father worked as a tailor and her mother was a domestic worker. She had to share a small room with her parents and four siblings and often struggled to get enough food and education.

Saika was introduced to cricket by her elder brother, who used to play with a tennis ball in the narrow lanes of their slum. She joined him and soon developed a love for the game. She also showed a natural flair for bowling and started to spin the ball with accuracy and variation.

However, Saika’s passion for cricket was not welcomed by her conservative community, which considered it taboo for girls to play sports. She faced ridicule, harassment, and opposition from her relatives and neighbors, who tried to stop her from pursuing her dream. They also pressured her parents to get her married at a young age, as they believed that a girl’s role was to be a wife and a mother.

Saika’s parents, however, supported her and encouraged her to follow her passion. They enrolled her in a government school, where she got a chance to play cricket with proper equipment and coaching. She also joined a local cricket academy, where she honed her skills and impressed the selectors.

Saika’s hard work and talent paid off, as she got selected for the Bengal state team at the age of 14. She made her debut in the senior women’s domestic cricket in 2022, and soon became a regular member of the team. She also represented India in the under-19 Asia Cup in 2023, where she took 10 wickets in four matches and helped India win the title.

Saika’s dream came true when she was picked for the Indian women’s cricket team for the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2024. She made her international debut against England in the group stage and took two wickets in her first over. She also played a crucial role in India’s semi-final win over Australia, where she took three wickets and conceded only 12 runs in her four overs.

Saika’s story is an inspiration for many girls and women, who face similar challenges and barriers in pursuing their dreams. She has proved that with talent, hard work, and courage, nothing is impossible. She has also become a role model for the young girls in her slum, who look up to her and aspire to follow in her footsteps.

Saika hopes to continue her success and make her country proud. She also wants to use her fame and fortune to help her family and community, and to promote cricket among girls and women. She believes that cricket is not only a game, but also a tool for empowerment and social change.