New Delhi, June 23: The Indian women’s cricket team is currently in England for the T20 World Cup 2026. Among the players is 22-year-old right-arm fast bowler Kranti Gaud, whose journey from Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh, to the national team is filled with challenges.
Kranti shared her story on JioStar, stating, “I never dreamed of playing cricket on such a grand scale. I come from a village where girls are not even allowed to step outside freely. Girls face taunts and negativity when they try to do anything.”
She added, “I have always heard that those who work hard never lose. I kept moving forward. I continued to bowl, learn, and believe in myself. I didn’t let the noise around me distract me. I worked tirelessly. Now, wearing this jersey at the T20 World Cup, I feel all that hard work has paid off.”
Reflecting on her parents’ sacrifices, Kranti said, “When your family supports you, the opinions of others don’t matter. People outside often don’t support you anyway. My parents were different. They always stood by me and never made me feel like I was doing something wrong. They believed in my dream, and that support changed everything.”
She continued, “This gave me the strength to keep moving forward and pursue my goals. Knowing that my family is with me makes it easier to ignore the outside world. I am grateful for their support at every step of this journey. There were many challenges. I had to travel for matches, and there was always a shortage of funds. My mother sold her jewelry to buy me a good cricket kit. That was a huge sacrifice. My family has done so much for me, and it made me feel responsible. I want to give something back to them and make their sacrifices memorable.”
Gaud also mentioned that her performance in the One Day World Cup led to the establishment of a cricket academy in her village, Ghuwara. Many young girls are now coming there to play cricket. This is a proud moment for her. Parents are beginning to trust their daughters and believe they can build a career in this sport. She frequently meets these girls and hopes they achieve the goals they set for themselves.
Leave a Comment