T20 World Cup 2023: Jem by name, gem by nature

Express News Service

MUNEEBA Ali had just taken off the bails at Newlands. Nashra Sandhu had beaten Jemimah Rodrigues with a sharp dip and turn and the Indian batter was well out of the crease, trying to counter the spinner. In her attempt to get back in the crease, she was almost in a split-like posture. All eyes, including that of a couple of thousand spectators, were on the big screen as the umpire sent it upstairs for a review.

As soon as the ‘not out’ decision came, there was a sense of relief and cheer across the ground, but especially in the middle. Rodrigues had stretched herself to the limit to ensure that she did not get out. She, it seemed, wanted to be in the middle more than ever.

In the lead-up to the World Cup, the Mumbai batter had not been in good form. Since the Asia Cup, she had made only 85 runs in eight innings at an average of 14.16. However, the team management was not worried. Batting coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar assured that they were confident in her ability and the way she had been training and batting in the nets. And so was Jemimah. She was keen on not taking any extra pressure. She knew she had done the hard yards and she knew she had put in the effort to be there. For her, it was all about doing the job for the team. At that point, India were 66/2 in 9.4 overs while chasing 150.

But soon, she had to watch her captain Harmanpreet Kaur get out. With Richa Ghosh coming, the onus was on Rodrigues to lead the way. The duo, after all, recently had a good partnership against Bangladesh in the warm-up game.  

With India needing 57 from 39 balls. she took on Fatima Sana by moving across to hit the pacer through the fine-leg region. Ghosh, too, joined the party, as she smashed boundaries off Nida Dar and Sadia Iqbal. And slowly, India were getting back in the game. For Rodrigues, however, they were never out of it. Ghosh bludgeoned Aiman Anwer for a hat-trick of boundaries before her partner hit Fatima for three of them in the penultimate over to take the side home.

The celebration as she drove Fatima through extra covers said it all. She jumped up and punched the air in delight, with her arms pointing towards the direction of the stands where her parents were. It was an important day, not just for her, but for them as well. Twelve months ago, she was left out of the ODI World Cup. She was distraught. It was her faith and family that took her through that period. She said as much after the match.

ALSO READ | T20 World Cup 2023: Let the show begin

“That was the toughest time for me. If not for the family and parents and friends… we would be here till 12 at night if I name them all, my coach  Prashant Shetty, we worked really hard. I remember, I took a break. playing for India is something I love. To miss out on that it took me a while, I just think, ‘God has given me grace each and every day to push it through,’” she said.

Will she go back and change the way the past 12 months have panned out? She wouldn’t. For she believes it is what brought her here and that it is just a small phase in the larger scheme of things that are meant for her in life.
Brief scores: Pakistan 149/4 in 20 ovs (Bismah 68 n.o, Ayesha 43 n.o; Radha 2/21) lost to India 151/3 in 19 ovs (Jemimah 53 n.o, Richa 31 n.o).

<br /> MUNEEBA Ali had just taken off the bails at Newlands. Nashra Sandhu had beaten Jemimah Rodrigues with a sharp dip and turn and the Indian batter was well out of the crease, trying to counter the spinner. In her attempt to get back in the crease, she was almost in a split-like posture. All eyes, including that of a couple of thousand spectators, were on the big screen as the umpire sent it upstairs for a review.</p> <p>As soon as the ‘not out’ decision came, there was a sense of relief and cheer across the ground, but especially in the middle. Rodrigues had stretched herself to the limit to ensure that she did not get out. She, it seemed, wanted to be in the middle more than ever.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.83 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.83 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>In the lead-up to the World Cup, the Mumbai batter had not been in good form. Since the Asia Cup, she had made only 85 runs in eight innings at an average of 14.16. However, the team management was not worried. Batting coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar assured that they were confident in her ability and the way she had been training and batting in the nets. And so was Jemimah. She was keen on not taking any extra pressure. She knew she had done the hard yards and she knew she had put in the effort to be there. For her, it was all about doing the job for the team. At that point, India were 66/2 in 9.4 overs while chasing 150.</p> <p>But soon, she had to watch her captain Harmanpreet Kaur get out. With Richa Ghosh coming, the onus was on Rodrigues to lead the way. The duo, after all, recently had a good partnership against Bangladesh in the warm-up game.  </p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.83 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.83 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>With India needing 57 from 39 balls. she took on Fatima Sana by moving across to hit the pacer through the fine-leg region. Ghosh, too, joined the party, as she smashed boundaries off Nida Dar and Sadia Iqbal. And slowly, India were getting back in the game. For Rodrigues, however, they were never out of it. Ghosh bludgeoned Aiman Anwer for a hat-trick of boundaries before her partner hit Fatima for three of them in the penultimate over to take the side home.</p> <p>The celebration as she drove Fatima through extra covers said it all. She jumped up and punched the air in delight, with her arms pointing towards the direction of the stands where her parents were. It was an important day, not just for her, but for them as well. Twelve months ago, she was left out of the ODI World Cup. She was distraught. It was her faith and family that took her through that period. She said as much after the match.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.83 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.83 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>ALSO READ | T20 World Cup 2023: Let the show begin</p> <p>“That was the toughest time for me. If not for the family and parents and friends… we would be here till 12 at night if I name them all, my coach  Prashant Shetty, we worked really hard. I remember, I took a break. playing for India is something I love. To miss out on that it took me a while, I just think, ‘God has given me grace each and every day to push it through,’” she said.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.83 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.83 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Will she go back and change the way the past 12 months have panned out? She wouldn’t. For she believes it is what brought her here and that it is just a small phase in the larger scheme of things that are meant for her in life.<br /> Brief scores: Pakistan 149/4 in 20 ovs (Bismah 68 n.o, Ayesha 43 n.o; Radha 2/21) lost to India 151/3 in 19 ovs (Jemimah 53 n.o, Richa 31 n.o).<br />