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HomeSportFruit, curd, ‘no overconfidence’— Parshavi Chopra’s winning recipe in U-19 T20 Women’s...

Fruit, curd, ‘no overconfidence’— Parshavi Chopra’s winning recipe in U-19 T20 Women’s World Cup

The 16-year-old Greater Noida leg spinner was the highest wicket-ticker for the Indian team, which won the tournament in South Africa on 29 Jan.

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New Delhi: When 16-year-old leg spinner Parshavi Chopra was training for the inaugural ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, bowling googlies was not one of her strongest suits. But in the India vs Sri Lanka match in South Africa’s Potchefstroom, it was a googly that proved to be her trump card and helped Chopra become the top Indian wicket-taker of the tournament.

That day, Chopra ditched the conventional leg-spin and served up a googly, slipping the ball past Sri Lanka captain Vishmi Gunaratne to crash into the off stump. It was a performance that might have even impressed her idol, the late Australian spin legend Shane Warne. But there was more to come.

India registered a roaring victory against England in the final of the tournament on 29 January. Parshavi took two wickets in that match, taking up her tally for the tournament to 11, making her the second-highest wicket-taker in the 16-day tournament.

Parshavi bowling against New Zealand in the ICC U-19 T20 World Cup in South Africa | Credit: Twitter/@M_Raj03

But for the Greater Noida teenager, one of the youngest cricketers in India’s U-19 women’s team, the biggest challenge of all was not facing off against the world’s top batters in the category, but the food.

“I struggled the most with the food,” Parshavi, a vegetarian, tells ThePrint. “There were so many non-veg food choices in South Africa… I relied mostly on fruits and curd.”

‘Overconfidence would have killed our momentum’

Chopra’s first love was skating she says, but cricket runs in the family’s DNA. Her grandfather as well as father played the sport at zonal levels, but she is the first woman to take up cricket in the extended family.

She had a lot on her young shoulders during the tournament but drew inspiration from veteran cricketer Yuvraj Singh for his fighting spirit. And, having Shafali Verma as a skipper helped the team to tide over the tough moments.

“We were confident that we would be able to perform well, but we used to focus on one game at a time. Overconfidence would have killed our momentum,” she says.

Pride of Greater Noida

After returning to India, the team was felicitated by Sachin Tendulkar and BCCI office bearers on 1 February at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

A day later, Chopra received a grand welcome from her family and friends in Greater Noida, where her family moved from UP’s Sikandabad so she could advance her cricket training and career.

Parshavi received a warm welcome from her family, neighbours, and fans outside her Greater Noida society on 2 February | Image by special arrangement
Parshavi received a warm welcome from her family, neighbours, and fans outside her Greater Noida society on 2 February | Image by special arrangement

“We would not have been as happy as we are today if she would have won with the senior Indian team. This was the first time that U-19 women cricketers were playing in the World Cup. It is the most special feeling,” says Gaurav Chopra, Parshavi’s father.

Her coach, Vishal Bhatia, says the upcoming Women’s Indian Premier League could play a crucial role in helping Chopra secure a berth in the national team.

Parshavi is seated between her two coaches, Vishal Bhatia (left) and Rahul Sharma (right) | Credit: Facebook/ParshaviChopra
Parshavi is seated between her two coaches, Vishal Bhatia (left) and Rahul Sharma (right) | Credit: Facebook/ParshaviChopra

Lauding Parshavi’s dedication to the game, Bhatia, who runs a cricket academy in Greater Noida, recalls a key moment while training the young leg-spinner.

“Back in 2017-18, when Parshavi joined the academy, the Himachal women’s cricket team had come to play here. Senior players like Harleen Deol and Renuka Singh were also playing in the team. Parshavi was not yet 13 and had just begun playing, but she gave her all in fielding on the ground,” he says, adding that this is when he knew he had a budding champion on his hands.


Also read: “You’ve given a dream to young girls” Sachin, BCCI felicitate Women’s U19 T20 WC


 

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