Asha Sobhana has created history by becoming the first Malayali to play in a women's World Cup match. She has been named in the XI for India's Women's T20 World Cup opener against New Zealand in Dubai.
The 33-year-old leg-spinner from Thiruvananthapuram had hit headlines with her stellar performance during the Women's Premier League, in which she bagged 12 wickets, including a fifer.
Thanks to her WPL heroics, Asha was given her maiden India call-up in April this year for a tour of Bangladesh and made her T20I debut in May.
In the build-up to the World Cup, Asha said how excited she was to be included in India's World Cup squad. "Lot of mixed emotions for me. I've been waiting for this moment my entire life. To make it to the India team first and then play the world cup, its a big moment for me and my family," Asha said in an interaction released by BCCI. Wayanad native S Sajana is the other Malayali part of India's 15-member squad.
Asha will have a chance to impress straight away as New Zealand won the toss and opted to bat. India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has included Arundhati Reddy in a three-woman seam attack.
Three Malayalis have been part of world cup-winning men's sides, namely Sunil Valson, S Sreesanth and Sanju Samson.
Valson was part of the ODI World Cup-winning Indian team in 1983. Sreesanth helped India lift the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 and was also part of the 2011 ODI World Cup-winning side. Sanju was the latest Malayali to lift the World Cup as a member of Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue that triumphed in the T20 WC in Barbados in June this year.
