Age 17, bowls fast, hits the ball long when given the opportunity, Titas Sadhu is surely the one to look for from Bengal. With the inaugural ICC Women's U-19 World Cup coming next year, Titas will be one of the future stars to watch out for in the tournament. Already played for the senior team, the pacer has troubled Indian stars like Shafali Verma and others in the Senior Women's T20 Trophy earlier this year. We tried to get to know her story in our Women's Cricket Exclusive from her coach, father and herself.

Coming from a sporting family in Chinsurah, West Bengal, Titas always had the support and DNA of her father and family members. She always had an interest to play any sports which led to her final destination, cricket. At age 12, she picked up a tennis ball and bowled from a few yards and her father knew where her daughter should head on. Interestingly, Titas's sharp brain allowed her to learn quickly and grow faster as a cricketer from then on.

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Ranadeep Sadhu, her father always wanted that her daughter should be able to play in a men's first-division team, and then she will be able to play against any women's team in the world. Therefore, he always fancied Titas to play with the boys and prepare against them. Even she plays for her home club in Chinsurah in all the tournaments along with other boys of the club.

"Our family is very much sports-oriented. Me being a former athlete knew all the nuances of the game. Titas always had an interest in playing any kind of sports. When I saw her bowl for the first time, I knew if we can work hard on her, she will make all of us proud," Ranadeep Sadhu told Sportz Point.

Titas Sadhu runs 2km under 8 minutes

"I always believed that cricket is a game where you need to have clear thoughts and Titas always had that. So, only I had to work on her nutrition and fitness. Now, she runs 2km in 8 minutes. I think she is fitter than most of the girls out there. Moreover, she is very disciplined on her own. This is a plus point as well," Ranadeep Sadhu added.

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Priyankar Mukherjee, Titas' coach since the beginning of her career echoed the same thoughts of her father. "Titas was always sharp. She learned more quickly than others. So, that helped me as a coach to work on her. You can probably say she is one of the fastest bowlers in women's cricket in the country as of now. And, we are working on her every day to make her ready for bigger stages," said Priaynkar Mukherjee.

"We plan at least one or two matches in a week, whenever she is home:" Priyankar Mukherjee

Priyankar feels, that the more matches Titas play the better she will get. That's why he tries to fix at least two matches every week for her. In fact, he arranges matches for her even in this monsoon season. Be it on turf or a matting wicket, she gets a match. "Whenever she goes for a tour, she lacks some batting practices. So, we work on that she comes. Also, we try to execute our plans whenever we play matches. Thus, I make sure that she is at least playing one or two matches in a week when she is here," Priyankar Mukherjee added.

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Titas Sadhu, even at 17 has a very clear mindset about her cricket. Moreover, after spending a lot of time in the senior team along with Rumeli Dhar and others, she learned a lot about adapting to bigger stages. With 7 wickets in 5 matches in the Senior Women's T20 Trophy, Titas was Bengal's most successful bowler in the tournament. Moreover, her bowling economy of 3.50 was the tournament's fifth best overall.

"Those five matches were very important for me. I learnt how to not complicate things. Rumeli (Dhar) di had given me the freedom to execute my plans. Most importantly, she backed me whenever I could not execute those plans perfectly," Titas said on her learnings from the Senior Women's T20 Trophy.

Read Also: Fitness, nutrition and fielding – CAB focuses on these three things in the new U-16 Girls

"A good length ball hitting the top of off-stump is a good ball for most of the batters": Titas Sadhu

The right-arm pacer just came from her camp at NCA for the upcoming ICC U-19 Women's World Cup and learnt how to plan better against opponents and adapt quickly to situations.

"The first thing that I learnt is that a good length ball hitting the top of off-stump is a good ball for most of the batters. Moreover, the other things that I learned were how to plan according to the situations and better when the pressure is on," she added.

After coming from NCA Camp, Titas is focusing on adding more variety to her bowling. Keeping the T20 format in mind, she is working on her yorker and slower ones as well. Moreover, she is working on her hitting abilities too as a batter. "A half-volley ball should not stay in the ground. That is what I am practising with sir," Titas told Sportz Point.

"Ellyse Perry and Ben Stokes are two of my favourite players:" Titas Sadhu

Although Titas idolise two genuine all-rounders of the game in Ellyse Perry and Ben Stokes, she wants to put more focus on her bowling. Meantime, she also wants to score those crucial runs when the team needs, coming lower down the order.

With more limelight on Women's cricket now, more girls are coming through the ranks of Indian Cricket. Therefore, the competition is getting tougher with time. However, Titas Sadhu is not bothered about that, even a bit. "When we focus on others, we waste our energy in that. I do not want to focus on other things than my cricket. I want to learn and improve each day as a cricketer. The more I do that, I think I will be getting better."

The ICC Women's U-19 World Cup will take place in South Africa from January 2023.

For more exclusive interviews check our special segment here.

It is uncommon in India for a girl to pursue a career in sports without facing skepticism from family and friends. Four years ago, Sonali Das from Habibpur, Nadia, picked up a cricket ball to bowl after being inspired by videos of Jhulan Goswami. At that time, many doubted her aspirations, and some even laughed at her.

However, in just four years, the 16-year-old has turned those doubts into confidence and laughter into applause. She bowls like Malinga, a fact that becomes immediately evident to anyone who sees her bowl.

With an impressive 8-wicket haul in the semi-finals of the U-16 Girls School Cricket and receiving the Bowler of the Tournament award in the presence of her idol, Jhulan Goswami, Sonali now has her sights set on representing Bengal in the upcoming Bengal Pro T20 League 2025.

Recently, Sonali was selected by the Adamas Howrah Warriors for this prestigious tournament, an opportunity that brings her one step closer to realising her dreams. Sportz Point had the privilege of hearing her inspiring story in an exclusive interview.

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"Watching Jhulan Maam's videos inspired me to play cricket"

Sonali fell in love with cricket at the age of 12, captivated by Jhulan Goswami's bowling. Like countless other girls in the country, she aspired to emulate the greatest bowler in women's cricket history. Notably, both Jhulan and Sonali hail from the same district in Nadia, West Bengal.

"I started getting attached and loving this game after watching Jhulan Goswami maa'm bowl. I just loved how she used to clean up stumps at the international level. Everything started from there for me," Sonali told Sportz Point. 

However, convincing the family to support a sporting career can be challenging, especially for a 12-year-old girl in India.

"Initially, my father was reluctant to send me to a cricket coaching centre. But after COVID, I managed to persuade him to enrol me in a coaching centre in Ranaghat," Sonali recounted.

Sonali's journey began at a cricket coaching camp in Ranaghat, where her unique bowling style caught the attention of others, though she also faced harsh criticism. During a U-14 District Zonal camp, coach Paramita Roy noticed Sonali’s accuracy and aggressiveness and believed that with proper training, Sonali could become a future star for Bengal. 

Soon, Sonali started her 3-hour-long train journey three days a week to reach her goals. And, Goutam Das, Sonali's father, understood that her daughter was born to do something great in cricket.

Read Also | Bengal Cricket: 7 U-19 cricketers from Bengal who can play for India in future

Getting noticed by the greats during the Girls' School Tournament

As the training started under Paramita Roy, Goutam Das felt that to help her daughter shine in cricket, she needed to be closer to the coaching camp and avoid a long journey. Along with that, he realised that Sonali needed to play more tournaments to enhance her skills. 

Soon, he admitted Sonali to Infocus India Public School so that Sonali could take part in the C.A.B. Organised U-16 Girls School Cricket. And that tournament turned out to be a turning point for Sonali. 

"I began working under Paramita Ma'am and improved rapidly as a bowler. She also focused on my batting so I could contribute valuable runs in the lower order," Sonali explained.

"With my progress, I gained support from everyone around me. Now, I live in a rented place in Kolkata to minimise travel for practice. My father has been my biggest supporter on this journey," she emphasised. 

"Playing in the U-16 Girls' School Cricket tournament changed the trajectory of my career. I was noticed by many former Indian cricketers like Jhulan (Goswami) Maa'm, Lopamudra Bhattacharji) Maa'm and Gargi (Banerjee) Maa'm during the tournament. They all gave me some valuable advice to improve and work on."

That 8/9 in the semi-final

Sonali's moment came when she rattled through South Point High School, batting line up and returned with a bowling figure of 8 for 9 runs and also scored 22 runs as Infocus India Public School defeated South Point by 306 runs. Sonali received the Player of the match award from former India cricketer Gargi Banerjee, which she feels is one of the best moments of her career.

In the final against Behala Kishore Bharati Girls' High School, Sonali again returned with 3 wickets for only 9 runs as Infocus India Public School won the tournament. Sonali won the "Best Bowler of the Tournament" award for taking 15 wickets in just 5 matches. 

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From school cricket to senior cricket

This helped her get drafted into the C.A.B. Women's Club Tournament, where she got the chance to go shoulder to shoulder against some of the best in Bengal cricket. In the C.A.B. Women's Club Cricket League (ONE-DAY) Tournament 2024-2025, Sonali returned with 9 wickets in 6 matches at an average of 18.67, to gain the trust of Adamas Howarh Warriors Franchise to pick her for the Bengal Pro T20 League 2025.

"I am thankful to everyone in the Adamas Howrah Warriors for picking me for this huge tournament. I am delighted to get this opportunity," Sonali stated. 

"My immediate goal is to help the franchise do well in the tournament under Dhara (Gujjar) di. And then play for the Bengal U-19 team. I know if I can make myself ready for the U-19 level, I will be doing good. It is all about taking it step by step," the 16-year-old pacer shared. 

Post the Bengal Pro T20 League 2025, Sonali will be shifting to Kolkata along with her parents to fully focus on cricket. She now just wants to make her parents and family proud.

"We will be shifting to Kolkata permanently only for my cricket. I just want to make my parents and family proud and happy," she expressed.

The Bengal Pro Women's T20 League 2025 will start from 16th May, till 4th June at the M.G.R. Sports Academy Ground in Birbhum, West Bengal. 

The ICC has officially announced that the Final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be held at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground on 5th July. The news was shared during a special launch event at Lord’s on 1st May.

Alongside this major reveal, it was confirmed that the matches will also be played at other popular venues across England, including Edgbaston, the Hampshire Bowl, Headingley, Old Trafford, The Oval, and the Bristol County Ground.

The tournament is set to kick off on 12th June and will run for 24 days, featuring a total of 33 matches leading up to the highly anticipated final at Lord’s. The complete match schedule is expected to be released soon.

Featuring a record 12 teams, the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will be the biggest edition in the tournament’s history. With two more teams than the previous edition, fans can expect fierce competition as the world’s top sides battle it out for the title.

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Qualified Teams for the Women's T20 World Cup 2026

Four additional teams will join them through the Qualifier scheduled next year.

The 12 teams will be split into two groups of six for the group stage, followed by the knockout rounds and finals.

Official Statement

ICC Chairman Jay Shah opened up about the tournament, saying, "The confirmation of venues represents a defining moment as we build towards the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026"

"The sell-out Women’s Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s in 2017 remains a landmark in the rise of the women’s game, and I cannot think of a more fitting stage for the final."

"As we turn our focus to preparing for the tournament, we are excited by the promise of thrilling T20 action that will not only captivate fans here but also serve as a showcase for cricket’s return on the Olympic stage in Los Angeles 2028."

Legacy

Moving on from the most recent edition, hosted by Bangladesh in the UAE in 2024, saw New Zealand claim their first-ever title, defeating South Africa by 32 runs in the final.

The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup will mark the milestone 10th edition of the tournament, which began in 2009.

Whether with Bhowanipur Club or East Bengal, Sandipan Das has consistently helped his teams win trophies. After achieving numerous victories, including a treble last year with Bhowanipur, the former ICC U-19 World Cup winner is now on the brink of delivering East Bengal's first league trophy in a decade.

Following his man-of-the-match performance in the semi-final against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan, Sandipan Das shared his thoughts in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point. 

"The winning mentally is there since childhood"

For Sandipan, playing in the final of a championship or winning it is not new; he has been securing trophies since his U-13 days. The Bengal all-rounder attributes his winning mentality to his childhood coach, Debesh Chakraborty, who instilled this mindset in him from an early age.

“I have been winning trophies since childhood. Whether it was the Ambar Roy tournament in U-13s or any other competition, I've always been part of champion teams. Thanks to Debesh Sir, who took me to play in those tournaments, the winning mentality has stayed with me throughout my career,” Sandipan Das told Sportz Point.

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"If 100 is not enough, I need to score 150"

After contributing to India's victory in the ICC U-19 World Cup under Unmukt Chand in 2012, Sandipan was fast-tracked into the Bengal team. Just a month after the World Cup, he made his List A debut, followed by his First-Class and T20 debuts.

However, despite showing promise, he struggled to make a significant impact for Bengal and has not played a single game since January 2015. Although he has excelled in the club format and helped his teams win titles nearly every season, Sandipan found himself out of the state team.

"It has been a long time since I played for Bengal. But I do not want to blame anyone for that. I believe I should score 150 if 100 is not enough. That has been my motive. I want to improve every day as a cricketer and leave the rest to God," Sandipan expressed.

"This attitude has also helped me win for my teams. If I think 100 is enough, I might become complacent and get out. Or if I feel that taking just two wickets suffices, I might bowl a loose over. There is no room for complacency in cricket," he added.

A perfect example of this mindset occurred during Sandipan's innings for East Bengal against Mohun Bagan in the C.A.B. First Division Championship semi-final. The match was evenly poised after the first day, and one mistake from Sandipan could have tipped the scales in favor of Mohun Bagan.

At the start of Day 2, Sandipan believed they could reach 450 runs. However, after losing partners, he decided to focus on taking the game deep, even if it meant not scoring a century. Eventually, East Bengal finished with 408 runs, and Sandipan remained unbeaten on 108.

Read Also | Batting, bowling & captaincy - Sandipan Das is ready for a rebirth at the first-class level | Bengal Cricket Exclusive

Monayem+Sandipan = Success in Kolkata Club Cricket

Such patience and attitude of Sandipan did not develop overnight; they are the result of years of practice, dedication, and guidance from his coaches. In addition to his childhood coach, Abdul Monayem has been a constant support for Sandipan for over a decade.

Monayem is one of the most successful coaches in Kolkata club cricket, who led Bhowanipur Club to three league titles in recent years. Sandipan thrived under Monayem’s guidance, which not only helped him grow as a cricketer but also as a captain of the team.

Currently the coach of East Bengal, Monayem brought Sandipan to join the team this year, aiming for more trophies together. The success in the P. Sen Trophy and reaching the league final after nearly a decade is a testament to their strong camaraderie.

"He (Abdul Monayem) is like a mentor to me. I have been playing under him for more than ten years now. He knows me very well, and I understand his expectations. Sometimes he is like a big brother; other times, he is a friend with a supportive hand on my shoulder. This relationship has allowed him to bring out the best in the players," Sandipan shared.

"Players like Abhishek Das, Agniv Pan, and many others have been together for many years now. This group, under Abdul (Monayem) Sir, has consistently achieved great things because he understands each player, and as a team, we strive to do our best," Sandipan added.

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"I enjoy being around the young kids"

In addition to being one of the top batting all-rounders in Bengal, Sandipan runs a coaching center. This initiative allows him to switch his focus from his own cricketing career and share his knowledge with the next generation.

"I believe this brings out a different side of me. Working with kids and teaching them the basics of cricket is something I love. I truly enjoy being with them," Sandipan stated.

"During my childhood, I did not have access to many facilities here in Jagaddal, so I try to give them as much as I can and share my knowledge," he concluded.

India continue their winning run in the Tri-Nation Women's ODI series by defeating South Africa by 15 runs. After posting a daunting total of 276, with a stand out performance from Pratika Rawal scoring 78 of 91 balls, the South Africans came out with intent in the second half.

Tazmin Britz's century gave real hope to the South Africans, but she had to retire hurt due to cramps. The Indian team took crucial wickets during key moments and turned the match in their favor.

India set a strong total with a team effort

India posted a strong total, thanks to a brilliant 78 from Pratika Rawal, who became the fastest to reach 500 ODI runs in women's cricket. Both Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues scored 41 runs pushing the total to 276. 

Read Also | Pratika Rawal becomes the fastest to reach 500 ODI runs in women's cricket

For South Africa, Nonkululeko Mlaba was the standout bowler with two wickets. Most of the others took one each, except Sune Luus and Chloe Tryon. However, Annerie Dercksen was quite expensive with the ball, which may have made the difference in the end.

South Africa starts strong but suffers setbacks

Chasing a big target, South Africa's openers came out firing, putting pressure on the Indian bowlers from the start. They made the most of the powerplay and built a strong 140-run stand, putting their team in a good position.

Laura Wolvaardt got a good start before getting out, while Tazmin Brits was in great form, scoring a brilliant century with ease. She got good support from Sune Luus for a while, but Luus’s dismissal came at a tough moment. Things got worse when Brits had to retire hurt due to cramps, with about 100 runs still needed.

The turning point

That moment Brits retired hurt was the turning point of the match as India took full advantage by taking key wickets. Chloe Tryon and Annerie Dercksen tried to keep South Africa in the game with some big hits. But things changed completely in the 48th over when Sneh Rana dismissed both batters and also removed Tazmin Brits, who had returned.

Rana finished with a brilliant five-wicket haul, while Arundhati Reddy, Shree Charani, and Deepti Sharma took one wicket each.

South Africa, despite being in control for most of the chase, lost their last six wickets for just 21 runs and fell short by 15 runs in a match they seemed set to win.

Read Also | Tri-Nation Series 2025: India vs Sri Lanka Women's ODI Match Report | Dominant India registers easy victory on Sri Lankan soil

Post-Match presentations

Sneh Rana was named the Player of the Match for her fantastic fifer. She said she focused on using variations and taking the pace off the ball, just like her captain and the team had advised.

She added that she never gives up and always tries to give her best whenever the team needs her. 

India's captain Harmanpreet Kaur said the team gave their 100% from the very first ball. She highlighted fielding as the key difference, saying they saved at least 20 runs.

She ended by saying she’s very happy with the bowlers, who gave everything to help secure the win.

Match Summary

IND-W: 276/6 (50) | Pratika Rawal 78; Nonkululeko Mlaba 10-55-2

RSA-W: 261 (49.2/50) | Tazmin Brits 109; Sneh Rana 10-43-5

Young Indian women's cricket team batsman Pratika Rawal created history on Tuesday by becoming the fastest batter to reach 500 runs in Women’s ODI in the second match of the triangular series against South Africa at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Pratika Rawal and Smriti Mandhana gave the Indian innings a strong start and shared a crucial 83-run partnership for the first wicket. Mandhana scored 36 runs off 54 balls but was caught out by Annerie Dercksen and returned to the pavilion. Pratika continued her excellent form and completed 500 runs in her ODI career.

Also Read: Top 10 fastest centuries in Women's T20Is

New record in women's cricket

Pratika Rawal reached the 500-run mark in just her eighth innings, surpassing England’s Charlotte Edwards, who had held the previous record of nine innings. Rawal achieved this in the fourth over of India’s innings, when she collected a single off Masabata Klaas after pulling a short-pitched delivery.

Earlier in the first match of the series, Rawal had won the 'Player of the Match' title by scoring an unbeaten 50 runs off 62 balls, where India registered a spectacular victory by 9 wickets.

Consecutive fifty-plus scores in ODIs

In the match against South Africa, 24-year-old Pratika Rawal played an important innings of 78 runs in 91 balls, which included 1 six and 7 fours. She brought up her half-century in 58 deliveries, reaching the milestone with a six. With this, Rawal also became only the second Indian woman, after Mithali Raj, to register five consecutive fifty-plus scores in ODIs.

Rawal also strengthened the Indian innings by sharing 68 runs with Harleen Deol for the second wicket. Her innings was crucial in taking the team's score to a good level. Although she was bowled by Nonkululeko Mlaba, by then she had already made a big contribution.

Rawal's streak began with an 89 against Ireland

Rawal's streak began with an 89 against Ireland in Rajkot, followed by scores of 67 and 154 in the same series. She continued with an unbeaten 50 against Sri Lanka before her knock against South Africa. In eight innings so far, Rawal has accumulated 572 runs, including one century and five fifties, at an average exceeding 80.

Rawal made her ODI debut in December 2024 against the West Indies in Vadodara, replacing Shafali Verma at the top of the order. She scored 40, 76, and 18 in that series before making an impact against Ireland earlier this year. Her consistent performances have quickly elevated her to one of India’s most promising top-order batters.

With this world record, Rawal also overtakes Mithali Raj’s Indian record of reaching 500 ODI runs in 13 innings, and becomes the fastest Indian — across men’s and women’s ODIs — to reach the landmark, ahead of Shubman Gill’s 10 innings.

The excitement of the triangular series continues

The tri-series being played between the women's teams of India, Sri Lanka and South Africa has started from April 27. Under this series, every team will play two matches each against the other two teams.

The top two teams in the points table after all the league matches will face each other for the title in the final on May 11. In this series, the players are getting a good opportunity to get into form and test the team combination.