Meghalaya cricketers thrilled about the opportunity to tour UAE with 'Pathbreakers'

Six cricketers from Meghalaya, four locals and two guests, are a part of the 'Pathbreakers' - a team that has travelled from Kerala to the United Arab Emirates for a 10-day tour where they are playing six friendly matches.



While Daiaka Emigale Warjri, Debasmita Dutta, Neha Hajong and Deiphibapynshngain L Mawnai are the local players, Saee Kiran Purandare and Vandana Mahajan have been selected as the guest players for the Meghalaya Cricket Association.



The tour is coached and managed by Saranya RS, former Kerala and Karnataka player, and a National Cricket Academy coach. She is also chief coach of the senior women’s state team.



Speaking about the opportunity, Dutta, an MBA graduate who had earlier played for the Karnataka Junior team, said that she was elated about the tour to the UAE.



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“It is a great feeling to be selected for such a wonderful opportunity. We were really surprised as we know that it has been only a couple of years since our state team has been participating in BCCI tournaments,” Dutta told The Shillong Times.



She said that it is the first time that an organisation in India is giving international exposure tour for a women’s team at the grassroots level, adding, "This kind of opportunity is usually reserved for the national team."



Warjri, a student of Synod College, said that it is a blessing for her to be a part of this tour. “From where I come, cricket is not a popular sport, especially in comparison to football, or any other sports for that matter. Therefore, I want to be an example for others in my community,” she added.



According to The Shillong Times, an MCA official said that the association is proud of the girls from the state making it to the big stage,



“The MCA sees this as an opportunity for the game of cricket to be popularised in remote places of Meghalaya, and also inspire more girls to play cricket – a sport that promises a bright future for them,” the official concluded.