By Meinam Amit Singh
SHILLONG, March 4: The Women’s Senior cricket team did Meghalaya proud last year when they qualified for the Elite Group, becoming the most successful squad to represent the state in any BCCI tournament.
The success last year, however, means that the team is set to face tough competition in the upcoming senior women BCCI one-day tournament starting March 13. Meghalaya is clubbed in the Elite Group E along with domestic giants such as Delhi, Karnataka, Vidarbha, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh.
On the eve of departure for the tournament, The Shillong Times had an opportunity to speak with Debasmita Dutta, the skipper of the team.
On being the most successful team from Meghalaya and graduating from the Plate to Elite Group, Debasmita said, “It was always our dream to qualify for the Elite Group. The ways the girls played and put in the hard work eventually paid out for us.”
The women’s skipper was happy with the preparations of the team for the upcoming domestic season.
“We had a preparatory camp of about 20 days in Tura, and also a week of camp here in Shillong to prepare ourselves for the one-day tournament,” said Debasmita.
She certainly hopes that the training camps will hold them in good stead when they take on Vidarbha in their first match.
“As a team, we are quite new and playing against the heavyweights will be a good learning for all of us.”
“We do hope to play well, and I expect us to win at least two games. Hopefully, that will be enough for us to stay in the Elite Group,” quirked the senior women team’s captain.
“With cricket improving at the grassroots level in the state, I expect that we can provide stiff competition to other elite teams in five years’ time,” Debasmita added. Debasmita, who has also represented Karnataka in various age groups and the senior side, feels that the competition outside is immense. She prays that Meghalaya too sees competitions on similar levels.
As one of the pioneers of women’s cricket in Meghalaya, Debasmita is happy with the way Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA) is taking the sport forward in the state.
“A lot of girls in the team are from far off places. MCA has done really well to unearth these talented players,” Debasmita said.
The skipper was all praise for the head coach, Saranya RS. Debasmita credits the coach for the team’s success last year.
“We are players, we know how to play cricket, but what we lacked as a team was tactics. Saranya ma’am helped us in that aspect. It was her tactics that made the difference last season and helped us qualify for the Elite Group,” Debasmita said.
“Saranya ma’am doesn’t change the style, she helps the player evolve without altering any of her techniques,” added the skipper.
The Shillong Times also got a sneak peak into the team’s final meeting before their departure.
The meeting emphasised on fielding with the coaches instructing the girls to go all out in the field. The coaches told them that fielding would be ultimate difference.
Finally, the coaches and officials burdened Debasmita with the expectation of seeing the team through this tough season ahead and asked her to ensure that the team retains itself in the Elite Group.