From an orphanage in Pune to becoming a top player of the Australian women's cricket team, Lisa Sthalekar has been a true destiny's child.
Last week saw her complete an emotional journey in life. Here for the one-day and twenty20 series against India, she took the time to visit the orphanage from where she was adopted.
"I always wanted to go there," said Sthalekar, who released her book 'Shaker' on Monday. "Good, I went now or I would have missed it as they are moving out of the place next week," said Sthalekar, who has played in 111 ODIs (2540 runs, 131 wickets) and eight Tests (416 runs, 23 wickets) for Australia.
Describing her feelings, Sthalekar said surprisingly she felt at peace at the Pune orphanage. "I don't know, but surprisingly I didn't get emotional. I felt quite at peace there. Actually, I had been to an orphanage in Chennai with the Australian team in 2007, which was the first time… then I was very emotional."
"The people at the Pune orphanage didn't know about me, but now we will be in touch and have promised them to do my bit to support the orphanage. I presented my Australia shirt to them (No 12)," said Lisa, who works with Cricket New South Wales as Youth Program Manager.
Lisa was adopted by Mr and Mrs Haren Sthalekar in 1979 when she was just three weeks old. "I called my dad and we exchanged notes about the place. He told me that one has to climb a spiral staircase to reach the room and I found it to be exactly like that."
{{/usCountry}}Lisa was adopted by Mr and Mrs Haren Sthalekar in 1979 when she was just three weeks old. "I called my dad and we exchanged notes about the place. He told me that one has to climb a spiral staircase to reach the room and I found it to be exactly like that."
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