Women’s T20 Challenger in UAE lifts young Richa Ghosh’s morale  

The BCCI’s announcement to stage the Women’s T20 Challenge along with the men’s IPL in UAE in November has come as a morale booster to many in the country. Like others, young Richa Ghosh is excited and eagerly waiting to hit the ground at earliest.

“I am excited after the announcement of the BCCI. Since March this year, we have been out of the ground and have not played any match or attended proper practice sessions,” Ghosh was quoted as saying to The Telegraph online. “The planned women challenger tournament will definitely provide a platform to return to serious cricket.”

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Ghosh, who made her India debut during the T20 tri-series in Australia in February and the subsequent T20 World Cup, has been confined to home since the COVID-19 lockdown in March. The Siliguri-born girl was one of the youngest players in the team and made an appearance in the T20 finals as a concussion substitute for wicketkeeper Taniya Bhatia.

“I have not been able to practise in the field as everything is closed now because of the pandemic. But I try to maintain my fitness with free hands and practice at home,” she said. The 16-year-old has been honing her skills at a temporary facility at her home in Subhaspally, built by her father Manabendra, to keep up to date.

“We have also watched the recently concluded England and West Indies Test series played in England last month,” the young cricketer’s father, who also played cricket at local clubs, said. “I am waiting for the day when guidelines would be issued for crickets like us so that we can go out and practise in the field,” Ghosh said.