The best match i've ever played

October 16, 2008—Hyderabad U-19 v/s Andhra U-19-- it was one of the most amazing matches I’ve played in my career so far. It had its share of ups and downs, and the match was in itself was a roller coaster ride.

Leading up to the match, we had won only 2 out of our four previous games, which meant we were out of contention for a place in the All India nationals. We had come back strongly after losing our first two matches, by beating Tamil Nadu and Goa quite comprehensively. The team had shown a lot of character to come back the way it did. We proved to everyone that we were no pushovers, that we’d give them a run for their money.

That side had players who in a couple of years became match-winners, but were at that stage ‘bachas’ (as they all like to call themselves). We had only one real ‘established’ player in the side, and that was captain/ wicket-keeper, Sindhuja Reddy. Sindhu was an extremely good captain. She had the ability to get the best out of her players, no matter what the situation was—that’s something that I think all of us loved about her. On the field, she usually kept her emotions in check, but during the match against Andhra, it seemed as if things were coming apart. I can gladly say that as a team, we picked her up and pulled her through.

Not that I’ve played under many captains, but Sindhu was up there with the best! She was one that had a lot of faith and me, and I’m glad to say that I had one of my best all-round tournaments under her.

“Hyderabad v/s Andhra, 16 October, 2008.

Police Training Centre (PTC) Grounds, Anantapur.

Hyderabad won the toss and elected to bat.

Nidhi Torvi and Gayatri Sripathi, our successful opening pair, gave us a fairly good start on a nice flat deck at PTC. Just when Gayatri looked like she had settled down, she was caught and bowled by Salma Banu for 1. Anusha replaced her and looked in pretty good touch. It seemed like boundaries were flowing from her bat at will, but Salma got into the act again and Anusha was bowled for 14. With the score at 54/2 in 14.3 overs, I joined Nidhi. We began to string together a good partnership; our strokes were good and so was the running between the wickets. I continued my steady run with the bat, punishing the loose balls that came my way. We kept the scoreboard moving, as Nidhi raised the (team’s) hundred with a superb lofted shot over mid-on. She (Nidhi) was going along nicely, but on 47, just after the second drinks break, she tried to heave the ball over mid-wicket, and was clean bowled. Hyderabad was in a fairly comfortable position at 104/3 when captain Sindhuja Reddy walked in. She too continued where she left off against Goa (she had scored 65). Together we began to milk the Andhra bowlers. We took the score to 126, when I top edged a pull shot off Shilpa Chandran and was caught at mid-wicket by Lavanya for 37. Sindhuja (31), Jhansi (14), Nikitha (8*), Kavya (5) and Praneesha (2*) all contributed to push our score to 185/8 in 50 overs.

Andhra was the only unbeaten team in the tournament, and we were determined to end their run. Nidhi Torvi and I opened the bowling and gave the openers, Mounica Sai and Kavitha, a hard time in conditions that had suddenly changed and become bowler-friendly! With the score at 19, Kavitha fell to Nidhi as Sindhuja completed a fairly easy catch behind the wicket. Soon enough, Mounica followed her partner and was bowled by an out-swinger that pitched on middle and clipped the top of off stump! (A delivery that I haven’t been able to bowl since)! In came Salma to join Hima Bindu—and out we went, for it began to pour.

Half an hour later we were back on the field and Andhra was given a revised target of 147 in 35 overs. In 10 overs they were 32/2 with Salma and Bindu at the crease. Sowmya and Anusha resumed the action. Sowmya got Salma stumped in her second over and in walked Shilpa Chandra. She nicked her very first delivery, but was put down by Sindhuja. A costly drop? Most probably… The Andhra players were under immense pressure, so they began to run for almost every shot they played. Our fielders developed sweaty palms and began to juggle the ball. Finally, with some brilliant work from Jhansi (at point), Shilpa was run out and a couple of balls later, Kavya got captain Rama Devi run out as well. The Hyderabad fielders were back at their best and seemed up for the challenge. In walked Priyanka and she began to take toll on Kavya. Bindu too, looked determined to seal the deal in Andhra’s favour. Off-spinner, Promita Sengupta was brought into the attack and she struck immediately—Priyanka was caught at mid-wicket by me! She played a flat sweep (right out of the middle) and I dived to my right and plucked it out of the air to complete the catch. At 91/6 the match was not over by any means. Divya joined Bindu and the two left-handers began to play some aggressive cricket- not afraid to take the aerial route, and running hard between the wickets. Bindu, in particular, looked in complete control of the situation and threatened to take the match away from us. It was then that Sindhuja Reddy made an inspired field change- she placed me at straight-ish deep mid-wicket (the area where Bindu was getting most of her runs), thus plugging the gap. The very next ball, Bindu played an aerial shot in my direction, right between Gayatri and me. I sprinted 20m and dived forward to pull off the catch! (Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion to me—almost Bollywood film-like)! Sowmya stepped in and had Divya caught at covers by Nikitha who took a beautiful low catch… 133/8… Lavanya and Sudha Rani—two new batters at the crease in the space of over—we were back in it! Sudha Rani then tapped the ball straight to me and set off for a tight single, but I managed to race her to the stumps… 134/9… Andhra needed 13 runs off the over. Kavya kept her cool and bowled beautifully. She gave four runs in the first three deliveries… Lavanya was looking for the big shot, but all she could do was smash the ball straight back to Kavya and set off… Kavya stayed calm, and flicked the bails off (the stumps)—Lavanya was run out… Andhra was all out for 139! We had pulled off a fantastic win!”

This is one of those moments in my career that I wish I could relive. It was definitely the most exciting match I’ve been part of, and to have been in the thick of things was what made it so much better!