USA women’s cricket team selects former Punjab bowler Moksha Chaudhary

31-year-old fast bowler has been selected in USA women’s cricket team, which will compete in 2021 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier in Mexico

Back in 2012, cricketer Moksha Chaudhary from Patiala came very close to realising her dream of playing for India women’s team when she was selected in the probables for 2013 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. But she could not make it.

Moksha Chaudhary wants to play for USA in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 World Qualifier in 2022. (HT PHOTO)

Nine years on, the 31-year-old fast bowler has been selected in the United States of America (USA) women’s cricket team, which will compete in the 2021 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier in Mexico from October 18 to 25.

Chaudhary had moved to the USA when she was married in 2017, and she carried her love for cricket overseas. “After my last season with Punjab Cricket Association, I moved to Gurgaon, where I worked with Decathlon and played club cricket. Before I moved to the USA, I got in touch with a few individuals who were part of the USA cricket system or in some way connected to the organisation back then. They provided me with guidance on the structure/pathway of women’s cricket in the USA. So, I started training as soon as I moved to the US, and I played my first official USA women’s cricket tournament in June 2018,” informed Chaudhary, who is a resident of Chelmsford, Massachusetts.

Thapar alumna idolises Jhulan Goswami

A former student of Thapar Institute of Engineering And Technology, Patiala, Chaudhary has always idolised Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath and India’s Jhulan Goswami.

“I have played a lot of cricket since moving to the USA. Although getting selected for the national camp is the highlight of my cricketing career in India, I watched and learned a lot from some of the greatest in women’s cricket like Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Harmanpreet Kaur, and a few others. And now, I am thrilled to play in my first ever ICC event representing the USA,” added Chaudhary, who has also worked on her batting skills and is now a useful middle-order batter.

Chaudhary was made aware of the structure of women’s cricket in the USA. She attended her first USA Combine (equivalent to selection trials in India) back in 2018. She then focused more on fitness and skills and developing as an all-rounder, and since then, she has been part of every USA women’s national camp.

The USA women’s team has players of Indian origin and Sindhu Sriharsha will captain the 15-member team in the tournament in Mexico. Chaudhary is the only one with roots in Punjab.

On the contribution of players from the subcontinent, Chaudhary said, “The women’s game in the USA has strong support from those with a subcontinent background. We do have players from the Caribbean and other parts of the world as well, and most are residents in the USA.”

USA cricket growing by leaps and bounds

USA cricket has grown by leaps and bounds and wants to join hands with other big cricket nations in coming years. A lot of male Indian domestic cricketers have also quit cricket in India to pursue the game in the USA.

“There has been a lot of progress in recent years. USA cricket has a solid domestic structure that has given players a lot of exposure and opportunities to showcase their talent. The USA women’s team has a very experienced support staff, including our head coach Julia Price, Burt Cockley, strength and conditioning coach, and others,” said Chaudhary, asserting on the team’s bright future ahead, which returns to action for their first international matches in over two years.

Chaudhary, who doesn’t miss catching up with her coaches in Patiala on the phone, wants to shine for the USA in the coming years. “I want to play for the USA in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 World Qualifier in 2022. And thereafter qualify for the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in South Africa in 2023,” said Chaudhary, who is known for bowling with the new ball and also extracting swing.