Three of the brightest young talents in the Women’s game in America have been signed as overseas players in the upcoming inaugural Women’s Caribbean Premier League and the new 6ixty taking place from 24th August to the 4th of September in St Kitts. We are going to hear from all three of them in the first of the Women’s CPL Player Diary blogs here on usacricket.org, starting today with Snigdha Paul.
Great things start with something simple like a phone call that can change the course of your life. Being selected to represent Barbados Royals in the first edition of Women’s 6ixty and Caribbean Premier League wasn’t something I genuinely expected from the start!
The opportunity for me to get to play alongside some of the best women’s international cricketers in the world was exciting. Truthfully, I thought I wouldn’t be able to make my space in the team and justify being part of the squad but it was quite the opposite – the welcome from all of my teammates, young and old, made me feel invited and comfortable. I have met a numerous number of male and female international cricketers and it’s been highly motivating.
Snigdha with Barbados Royal’s team-mate Hayley Mathews
Getting to experience this in the Caribbean inspires me and feeds the fire within to work harder to be in the same position as the Women’s players here that play professionally around the world. I have gained so much knowledge already not just only about cricket, but how to live and approach difficulties. The best part about staying with all the players at the team hotel is meeting them and having small casual conversations. It’s astonishing how supportive the whole cricket community is, and all the players I meet are interested in American cricket and all of our stories about how we came to love and play cricket.
I’ve also happened to meet many of the cricket stars about whom I heard from my parents, some I even had to google them to find their greatness!! Events like the 6ixty and CPL allow players like us to brush shoulders with not just current, but legends of the game of cricket.
I’m one of the my three American players selected to play here at the first ever Women’s 6ixty and CPL and I’m playing with the Barbados Royals. I’m having the chance to train and play with some of the best in the world and also gotten the chance to field for couple of overs in a 6ixty and CPL match where we’ve kept winning games and the experience has been spectacular. We’ve also attended a couple of practice sessions and saw the male stars sweating it out in the hot sun. I also got the chance to bowl against them in the nets. The first few deliveries I bowled I was very nervous, but I slowly settled and eased into the environment. Similarly, I felt the same sensation when I went in to bat. Though, I haven’t played a game yet, the learning curve has always been ascending.
Being a part of a team like this, particularly as we’ve been winning to start with just increases all of my overall confidence with cricket. The 6ixty tournament was great fun with us triumphing in the final vs Trinbago Knight Riders. Being awarded a medal and part of the squad to receive the trophy was an awesome experience and I even got to meet Chris Gayle after his team won the men’s 6ixty. These are simply all moments I will never forget!!
Getting to meet the beaming Universe Boss in St Kitts!
