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.

Read Also | Bengal Women's Cricket Exclusive: Two out of two finals, record chase against Haryana, Jhulan Goswami, WPL and more

"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. 

Read Also | Exclusive | Taunts to Claps: Priyanka Bala's journey from rural village of Nadia to WPL

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. 

Bengal has a deep-rooted passion for cricket, and the IPL offers a great opportunity to have their local talents compete at the highest level. Several players from Bengal were a part of the exciting IPL 2025 season.

Whether through match-winning spells, consistent contribution, or vital innings, their presence was always prominent in the season. Check out the full list and performance of Bengal Players in IPL 2025 along with their on-field impact.

1. Mohammed Shami (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Mohammed Shami has been a long-standing and key figure in Bengal's domestic cricketing landscape. After being ruled out of the previous IPL season (2024) due to an ankle injury, he made a comeback this year as Sunrisers Hyderabad's key pick and second-highest buy for ₹10 crore.

Shami had a somewhat mixed IPL 2025 season and struggled with consistency and his lengths. After his stellar Purple Cap-winning season in 2023, his 2025 campaign saw him take 6 wickets in 9 matches, with an economy of 11.25.

However, Shami continued to prove his excellence by becoming the only bowler in IPL history to claim a first-ball wicket 4 times. He achieved the fourth one by dismissing Shaik Rasheed in the SRH vs CSK match in the 2025 season.

Shami IPL 2025 stats:

Read Also: Will Sanju Samson join CSK for IPL 2026? Manager's hint fuels mega transfer rumours

2. Abishek Porel (Delhi Capitals)

Born in Chandannagar, West Bengal, Abishek Porel is a true local and a proud representative of the state. He was retained for ₹4 crore by Delhi Capitals, where he continued to showcase his brilliance as a wicket-keeper batter.

He began this season with a good pace and proved to be vital by accelerating the run flow when needed. He scored 301 runs in 13 matches, which makes him the second-highest scorer for DC this season.

While his form and the team's overall performance had a slight dip towards the latter part of the tournament, his contributions as a top-order batter were undeniable. He proved that he can adapt to different batting positions and do well.

Porel IPL 2025 stats:

Read Also: Suryavanshi touching Dhoni's feet: Here are 10 best moments of IPL 2025

3. Mukesh Kumar (Delhi Capitals)

Mukesh Kumar is another example of an incredible pacer who plays for Bengal in domestic cricket and has done exceptionally well in the stage of IPL. Following his brilliant 2024 season for DC, he was retained this year for ₹8 crore via RTM (Right to Match).

He proved to be a reliable performer, delivering effective spells in death overs and under pressure. His ability to use variations and bowl yorkers with accuracy made him a key part of the team's bowling unit.

He delivered a standout performance in IPL 2025 against LSG with his 4-wicket haul and great spell, which earned him the POTM award after their victory.

Kumar IPL 2025 stats:

Read Also: Top 5 underrated players in IPL 2025

4. Akash Deep (Lucknow Super Giants)

Hailing from Bihar, Akash Deep moved to Bengal to pursue cricket and performed well in the domestic field, then later making it to the India 'A' team. In IPL 2025, he was secured by Lucknow Super Giants for ₹8 crore and played 6 matches.

Akash missed some initial games due to a back injury, and later bounced back to showcase a glimpse of his quality and experience as a fast-medium bowler.

There wasn't any particular "game-changing" performance or moment for him this season, but his contributions were a part of LSG's overall bowling efforts.

Akash IPL 2025 stats:

5. Shahbaz Ahmed (Lucknow Super Giants)

A keu all-rounder for Bengal's state team, Shahbaz Ahmed was bought for ₹2.4 crore in the mega auction by Lucknow Super Giants. He played a supporting role in IPL 2025 and provided depth in their squad.

He played only 3 matches, where he came out to bat for a single innings and took 1 wicket in the entire season. While the 2025 season did not see any noteworthy performance, his presence in the squad was enough to back then up and bring flexibility as an all-rounder option.

Read Also: Is 2025 the miraculous year in sports history?

Ahmed IPL 2025 stats:

4 matches, 10 wickets and currently the joint-highest wicket-taker of the Bengal Pro T20 League 2025. 21-year-old Nuruddin Mondal has been the most impressive cricketer in this season's Bengal Pro T20 League. 

His stellar performance impressed former India cricketer Wriddhiman Saha so much that he even went on to say that "he can play for India in future."

But it is not new for him. Coming from a mofussil named Madanpur in Nadia district, Nuruddin has been bowling bouncers to every problem of his life to reach where he is now. The Servotech Siliguri Strikers' pacer shared his thoughts in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point.

How did it all start for Nuruddin Mondal?

Away before the Bengal Pro T20 League started, Sportz Point tracked Nuruddin's career since his second-division days. 

Nuruddin started his cricketing career at the age of 8 at Kalyani Municipal Academy, where he learnt the basics of cricket under coach Sanjay Dey. I got to see him bowl many overs on that cement wicket. 

But it was when he caught the attention of coach Debesh Chakrabarty that Nuruddin started progressing in his career. Debesh Chakrabarty is one of the most successful coaches in Bengal, known for producing players such as Sandipan Das, Sudip Gharami, Debopratim Halder, and many others. 

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"During the U-18 days, I felt I was faster than bowlers my age"

Nuruddin played in the C.A.B. U-13 and U-16 tournaments for Debesh Chakraborty's club. But when he started playing in the U-18 tournament, he began to feel that he was better and faster than his peers of the same age. 

"I started cricket around the age of 8 or 9 in Kalyani under Khokha Sir (Sanjay Dey). Then Debesh Sir (Chakrabarty) noticed me and since then I have been a student of his," Nuruddin told Sportz Point. 

"Although when I played U-13 or U-16 tournaments I did not feel any difference, during the U-18 tournaments, I started feeling that suddenly I was faster than others my age. It felt different," Nuruddin added. 

Nuruddin comes from a very humble family. His father works as a house painter, and just like every son of the house, he understands the importance of doing well in life. 

"When I felt that my pace had suddenly increased, and I became much stronger physically, I became more confident about my cricketing career," Nur expressed. 

Read Also | Exclusive: Advised by Sourav Ganguly, Abishek Porel gets coached by Yuvraj Singh; this is what he learned

Three years of second division cricket, and then came Calcutta Customs

But just like every student of Debesh Chakraborty, Nur also had to go through the ranks of Bengal cricket to prove he was ready for the bigger stages. The young pacer toiled hard for three seasons at Bengal Sporting Club before signing for Calcutta Customs Club. 

Still, it was not that smooth and easy for Nuruddin. He first had to impress one and all with a trial before getting signed by Customs.

"They asked me to go for a trial. I went and bowled well. All the coaches and Nilambar Sir (Saha) were impressed. They wanted me to sign for them."

"Debesh sir told me that even though I might get limited chances, I will learn a lot. So, I signed for them," Nuruddin stated. 

However, those limited chances were good enough for Nuruddin to prove himself. In a season when Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal broke through the doors of the Bengal team from Customs, Nur took advantage of his chances in white ball format. 

"I did well against Town in the T20 Quarter-finals. I bowled two maidens too. Then, did well against Mohun Bagan as well," he expressed. 

Rejections made him better than ever

Nuruddin's impressive spells got him selected for the Bengal U-23 camp, but life wanted to test him more. He failed to get selected for the Bengal U-23 and also missed the Bengal Pro T20 League selection by a whisker. 

In the first season of the league, Nur was a stand-by player for the Adamas Howrah Warriors. But these rejections made him stronger, and he knew in the next season, he would have to punch above his height. 

"Though I was not selected for the Bengal U-23 team and Bengal Pro T20 League, I was sure that I was on the right track," he stated. 

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"Bouncers and yorkers are my strength"

In the 2024-25 season, Nuruddin worked on every aspect of his bowling and emerged as a 200% better bowler. With 27 wickets across formats, he was one of the best U-23 bowlers of the Kolkata Club Cricket.

During the season, he worked on the bouncer and yorker so much that now he has confidence in bowling it at his will against any batter. 

"I practised them (bouncers and yorkers) so much that now I have the confidence of bowling it against any batter in any situation. Those two balls are my strengths"

Saha: "He can play for India in future"

This earned him a direct spot in the Servotech Siliguri Strikers' team, and the rest, they say, is history. Wriddhiman Saha even mentioned that he has all the capabilities to play for India in future. 

Delighted to hear that from a legend like Saha, Nur wants to keep his head down and take one step at a time.

"When praise comes from a legend like Wriddhiman Saha, obviously, it makes you happy. He did not know me. He saw me bowling for the first time during practice.

"So, this makes it even more special. But, I want to keep my head down and take one step at a time," he conveyed. 

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What's next?

So, what is next for Nuruddin Mondal? 

The youngster has a dream of donning that Blue jersey one day. But, for now, he has his eye on the Bengal Pro T20 League trophy and then on that Bengal U-23 jersey. 

"I feel like I need to keep doing what I have been doing well. Focusing on the process is the most important thing."

"But, if you talk about goal or aim, I want to win the Bengal Pro T20 League first, then play for Bengal U-23, then the seniors and hopefully for India in future. I want to climb up the ladder one by one," the youngster concluded. 

Seven out of seven wins. Invincible Pune Warriors defeated all the odds to come out victorious in the Women's Maharashtra Premier League 2025. 

While other franchises had big names, such as Smriti Mandhana, Tejal Hasabnis, and Kiran Navgire, among many other stars of the women's game, Pune Warriors had a clear plan and strategy. 

With only prominent names in Anuja Patil and Shweta Mane, the Pune Warriors Women's team depended on clear thoughts, executions and camaraderie to win the league. Team analyst Gaanesh Tyagi shared all the secrets in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point.

Gaanesh is a high performance analyst from Mumbai, who has worked for more than 10 T20 franchise teams. He was also the analyst of the Mumbai Cricket team, which won their first ever Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament in 2023.

The team combination: All-rounders, effectiveness and youth

Even before stepping onto the field to win the tournament, teams must first succeed in a different battle during the draft or auction. This is where many teams secure half of their victory. Women’s cricket has different demands than men’s cricket, and in T20 cricket, the need for strong all-rounders reaches its peak. 

With captain Anuja Patil being the perfect all-rounder for the team, the coaching staff opted for additional all-rounders to effectively manage the middle overs. 

"The entire coaching staff and captain Anuja Patil were involved in building the team. We aimed to have more all-rounders while also featuring skilled individuals for every situation in the game,” Gaanesh explained to Sportz Point. 

Read Also: In a first, 10 UAE batters retire out in ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025

The roadmap and planning

During their initial meeting with the players, captain Anuja and the coaching staff discussed a comprehensive plan for winning the tournament. This provided every player with a clear roadmap and clarity on how they needed to prepare for each aspect of the game.

"In that first meeting, we talked about how we should be winning the tournament. Each player knew their role within the team, which helped provide a clear roadmap for everyone,” Gaanesh added.

Read Also: Exclusive: Bowls like Malinga, once doubted by her family, Nadia's Sonali Das is set for Bengal Pro T20 League dreams after 8-wicket haul in School Cricket

"Bowlers win you tournaments"

This phrase has become quite popular in world cricket. Even in the Indian Premier League, the team with the superior bowling combination often performs better. Analysts play a crucial role here by offering insights on optimal lengths, lines, speeds, and determining who should bowl at various stages of the game.

For Pune Warriors, prior to each match, analysts would provide each bowler with a specific plan to tackle all potential batters they might face.

"In women’s cricket, understanding lengths is crucial. Knowing what length to bowl against which batter is key. We had strategies for each opponent.

"So, it was all about execution on the field, which our bowlers accomplished successfully. That’s why we had two bowlers, Chinmayee Bhorpale (the Purple Cap winner) and Anuja Patil, in the top five highest wicket-takers list," Gaanesh stated. 

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Anuja Patil- the Boss Lady

When you have a young and relatively inexperienced team, it’s essential to have someone who can guide each player. Just as the Rajasthan Royals had Shane Warne, Pune Warriors had Anuja Patil. 

Anuja, who has played 50 T20Is for the Indian national team, possesses the knowledge necessary to win cricket matches. With her leadership, every young player learned how to approach each match to achieve victory.

"We affectionately called her the 'Boss Lady.'

The entire team respected and followed her decisions. In tournaments like this, a clear direction is crucial, and Anuja provided the guidance we needed with her experience."

Read Also: Bengal Women's Cricket Exclusive: Two out of two finals, record chase against Haryana, Jhulan Goswami, WPL and more

The Mix of Youth and Experience

Balancing the mix of youth and experience in team building can be challenging. Some players on the squad were born after Anuja and Shweta Mane began their cricket careers.

There was a noticeable gap in age and experience, so the team needed to blend these elements effectively to perform at their best.

Both Anuja and Mane acted as both friends and firm mentors, fostering a harmonious environment that brought out the best in young players like 17-year-old Akshaya Jadhav, 16-year-old Suhani Kahandal, and U-23 player Khushi Mulla, who ended up being the fourth-highest run-scorer of the tournament.

"Youth at the top and experince in the middle"

Although the powerplay and death overs seem to be entertaining, it is the middle overs that decide the winner in a T20 game. Be it with the bat or ball, the 7-15 overs of a T20I game are the most crucial overs.

That is why Pune Warriors had the plan of having the most experienced players playing the middle order, be it with the bat or ball. 

That even allowed youngsters like Khushi Mulla, Suhani Kahandal and Akshaya Jadhav to have the freedom to enjoy the game. 

"The middle overs control the outcome of the game. We even saw Smriti Mandhana batting in the middle order for Ratnagiri Jets. So, from the start of the tournament, we wanted to have experince in the middle overs and youth at the top," Gaanesh explained. 

"Discipline, calmness and execution"

Winning all seven of your games is a significant challenge, and in T20 cricket, it’s nearly impossible to maintain that momentum throughout.

However, according to Gaanesh, if the team maintains discipline, calmness, and focuses on execution, the chances of not losing become greater.

He recounted the last over of the final match against Solapur Smashers: “We needed to defend 9 from 6 and it became 4 from 4. But we kept calm under pressure and executed well to win the title.”

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What's next?

Whenever a team without many superstars win any tournament, there comes a question of whether they will be able to continue that in the next season. We have seen it with the Rajasthan Royals in the past as well.

Since winning the inaugural season, they have not been able to win any trophies. What's the secret sauce to keep winning? 

"Process," Gaanesh said. 

He feels all the youngsters who got a bit of fame and name from this season need to aim for bigger goals and achievements. This is how they will be able to keep them ready for next season. Most importantly, they need to focus on the process which has given them results.

Indian star opener Smriti Mandhana has regained the number one spot in the women's ICC ODI rankings for the first time since November 2019, according to the latest update released by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday.

Also Read: ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 Full Schedule announced; India to face Pakistan on October 5

Mandhana surpassed Wolvaardt to claim top spot

The 28-year-old Mandhana has moved up one place to return to the top spot while South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt has slipped to joint second place with new England skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt after scoring 27 and 28 in the first two ODIs against the West Indies.

Mandhana now sits comfortably with 727 rating points after Wolvaardt held the top spot for over six months. The Indian star batsman has been in great form lately and scored the 11th century of her career, amassing 264 runs across five outings with a 52.80 averae and a strike rate of 90.41 during India's recent tri-series final against Sri Lanka and South Africa in Colombo.

Mandhana named ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year

The India vice-captain had a stellar run in ODIs in 2024, following which she was named as the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year, scoring more runs than she ever has before in a calendar year, racking up 747 runs in 13 innings. Mandhana is one of only four women to record at least 10 centuries, with her 4473 runs standing 10th on the all-time charts.

Mandhana’s rating points currently eight ahead of newly-appointed England skipper Natalie Sciver-Brunt at 719 points. Wolvaardt dropped to equal second alongside Sciver-Brunt, while fellow South African’s Tazmin Brits (up five spots to 27th) and Sune Luus (up seven places to 42nd) are among the big movers this week on the list for ODI batters.

Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, being the only other Indian batters in the top 30, placed at 15th and 16th, respectively.

Women's ICC ODI Rankings

The schedule of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 has been released. The Women's World Cup will begin on September 30 with hosts India playing their first match against Sri Lanka at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Also Read: BCCI announce Indian women's squad for ODI and T20I series against England

The eight-team tournament will be a round-robin format with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals. The much-awaited final will be played on November 2. Australia will begin their campaign against New Zealand on October 1 at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.

India vs Pakistan Match details

Due to tension between India and Pakistan, Pakistan will play all its matches in Colombo, Sri Lanka under the hybrid hosting model agreed upon by BCCI and PCB. In such a situation, the teams playing with Pakistan including India will go to Colombo, which is a neutral venue.

The most awaited match of the group stage between India and Pakistan will be played on 5th October in Colombo.

Women's Cricket World Cup 2025: Venues

• India : Bengaluru, Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam 
• Sri Lanka : Colombo

The tournament will be held at five major venues in the two countries. Bengaluru and Colombo have been shortlisted as potential hosts for the final.

Women's Cricket World Cup 2025: Full Schedule