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On May 6, with series already in the bag, Harmanpreet Kaur tested the bench strength under a low-on-confidence Bangladesh in the fourth T20I of the series. Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana handed the debut cap to her Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) teammate Asha Sobhana. She became the oldest cricketer in India women’s cricket history to make her international debut at 33 years and 51 days. The previous record belonged to Seema Pujare who made her debut against Sri Lanka in 2008 when she was 31 years old.
After a successful debut picking up a couple of wickets in three overs, she recounted her journey. The veteran Kerala cricketer recalled a time when she was in the probables to get picked in the Indian side.
“Feeling so blessed to be in the Indian team. In 2012, I came into the probables and since then it has been a long journey. This is everything that I have been working for all these years,” she told the broadcasters after India’s 59 run-win as per DLS method.
Sobhana thanked her teammates Mandhana and Kaur. She also said that age doesn’t matter.
“My teammates are so supportive - Harry, Smriti and everyone. They create an atmosphere where we are free to talk to all of them. Age is just a number. Today is proof of that. Never give up!” she added.
Sobhana’s stellar debut
The debutant got to bowl in the sixth over of the innings. She was brought back into the attack in the ninth over. Her first scalp in international wicket turned out to be Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana. She got out lbw trying to defend the fuller delivery. In her third and last over of the innings in 14 overs per side game, she dismissed Shorna Akter as well. The leg-spinner conceded 18 runs from her quota of three overs.
India are currently leading the five-T20I series 4-0 and have a chance to complete the clean sweep. It will be interesting to see if Sobhana gets another chance in the fifth and final T20I of the series.
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