WPL changed my life: Asha Sobhana says she almost gave up on India dreams
Asha Sobhana said that the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has changed her life and helped her break into the Indian team for the 5-match T20I series against Bangladesh. On Monday, May 6.
The leg-spinner became the oldest Indian to debut in international cricket at the age of 33. She finished with figures of 3-0-18-2 after picking up the crucial wickets of opposition skipper Nigar Sultana Joty and Shorna Akter.
On the back of her spell, India restricted the Tigresses to 68 for 7 in 14 overs and won the rain-curtailed match by 56 runs (DLS Method). Asha said that rubbing shoulders with Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur has helped her immensely. Having plied her trade in domestic cricket since she was 15, Asha almost gave up on her hopes of donning the national colours.
“[WPL] was an amazing journey, playing under Smriti in WPL. Coming along with Smriti and Harry [Harmanpreet Kaur] paaji, the most experienced player at the moment, it’s an amazing feeling. At one point in time, I thought I could never make it to the national side.
“But WPL gave us that opportunity and showed us that everybody can dream, and dream is not that far, and we can always achieve it. So WPL changed my life,” Asha said in the post-match press conference.
‘I was pretty emotional’
In WPL 2024, Sobhana was the second-highest wicket-taker with 12 scalps from 10 games at an economy rate of 7.11. She also accounted for a 5-wicket haul against Alyssa Healy’s UP Warriorz.
“I have no words to describe the feeling I’m going through. I was pretty emotional, of course. 2012 was the year when I came into probables for the first time in India. From there, if you see, it’s like touching 13-14 years. So, I am feeling so happy,” Asha added.
Asha would be hoping for one more chance when India and Bangladesh face off in the third and final T20I on Thursday, May 9 in Sylhet.