For the first time ever, a woman and a male cricketer from Patiala will be a part of the respective Indian national squad at the same time for the upcoming 19th Asian Games Hangzhou-2022 in China. Wicketkeeper-batsman Prabhsimran Singh and left-handed batswoman Kanika Ahuja have got maiden calls for the Indian teams.
Punjab batsman Prabhsimran (22) had been performing well for the state team at the domestic circuit and had hogged limelight during the last IPL when he had hit a century against Delhi Capitals during the T20 tournament while playing for Punjab Kings.
Kanika (20) impressed the audience during the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) while playing for Royals Challengers Bangalore and later during the U-23 Women’s Emerging Asia Cup in Hong Kong. India team had won the Asia Cup and Kanika had scored unbeaten 30 runs in the final against Bangladesh. She had recently joined Indian Railways.
Both Prabhsimran and Kanika are power-hitters of great potential. The games will be held from September 19 to October 8 at Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field. The men’s cricket competition will take place from September 28 to October 8 in a T20 format while the women’s cricket competition will take place from September 19 to 28, also in a T20 format. In the India women’s team apart from Kanika, captain Harmanpreet Kaur and all-rounder Amanjot Kaur are also from Punjab.