US women’s cricket team selects former Punjab bowler Moksha Chaudhary

In 2012, Patiala cricketer Moksha Chaudhary came very close to realizing her dream of playing for the Indian women’s team when she was selected in the likeliness for the 2013 ICC Womens Cricket World Cup, but she couldn’t make it.

Nine years later, the 31-year-old fast bowler has been selected for the United States of America (USA) women’s cricket team, which will compete in the 2021 ICC Womens T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier in Mexico from October 18-25.

Chaudhary had moved to the US when she got married in 2017, and she carried her love of cricket abroad. After my last season with the Punjab Cricket Association I moved to Gurgaon where I worked at Decathlon and played club cricket. Before moving to the US, I came into contact with a few individuals who were either part of the US cricket system at the time or associated in some way with the organization. They gave me advice on the structure/path of women’s cricket in the US. So I started training as soon as I moved to the US, and I played my first official US women’s cricket tournament in June 2018, said Chaudhary, a resident of Chelmsford, Massachusetts.

The US women’s team will face Argentina, Brazil and Canada in a double round-robin event that will decide which team will advance to the 2022 ICC Womens World Twenty20 World Qualifier.

Thapar alumna idolizes Jhulan Goswami

A former student of the Thapar Institute of Engineering And Technology, Patiala, Chaudhary has always idolized Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath and Indias Jhulan Goswami.

I’ve played a lot of cricket since moving to the US. Although being selected for the national camp is the pinnacle of my cricket career in India, I have seen and learned a lot from some of the greatest women in cricket such as Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Harmanpreet Kaur and a few others. And now I’m excited to play in my first-ever ICC event representing the US, added Chaudhary, who has also worked on her batting skills and is now a useful middle-ranking batter.

Chaudhary was made aware of the structure of women’s cricket in the US. She attended her first USA Combine (equivalent to selection trials in India) in 2018. After that, she focused more on fitness and skills and developed as an all-rounder, and has been a part of every national women’s camp in the US since.

The US women’s team has players of Indian descent and Sindhu Sriharsha will captain the 15-man team in the tournament in Mexico. Chaudhary is the only one with roots in Punjab.

On the contribution of players from the subcontinent, Chaudhary said: The women’s game in the US has a lot of support from players from subcontinental backgrounds. We also have players from the Caribbean and other parts of the world, and most of them are US residents.

American cricket grows by leaps and bounds

Cricket in the US has grown by leaps and bounds and is looking to join hands with other major cricketing countries in the coming years. Many male Indian domestic cricketers have also quit cricket in India to continue the game in the US.

Much progress has been made in recent years. Cricket in the US has a solid domestic structure that has given players a lot of exposure and opportunities to showcase their talent. The U.S. women’s team has highly experienced support staff, including our head coach Julia Price, Burt Cockley, strength and conditioning coach and others, said Chaudhary, who claimed the teams have a bright future, returning to action for their first international matches in more than a decade. two years.

Chaudhary, who does not miss the phone conversations with her coaches in Patiala, wants to shine for the US in the coming years. I want to play for the US in the ICC Womens World Twenty20 World Qualifier in 2022. And then qualify for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in South Africa in 2023, said Chaudhary, who is known for bowling with the new ball and winning swing.