Maqsooma, a young cricketing sensation from Ladakh's cold desert region, has once again scored a big victory and won many hearts with her sparkling performance with both bat and bowl (softball cricket).
A budding cricketer, studying in class 7, Maqsooma scored 40 runs and took four wickets before lifting the First Captain Sourabh Kalia Memorial Women Cricket Tournament trophy.
The T-20 cricket tournament was organized by the Indian army along with Government High School Kaksar to mark the 25th glorious year of Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations at Captain Sourabh Kalia Cricket Ground Kaksar, 25 kilometres from Kargil.
Maqsooma first hogged headlines after her video, playing a helicopter shot, went viral on various social media platforms in October 2022.
Since then she has been waiting to receive some kind of support to harness her cricketing talent.
Speaking to The Pioneer, over the telephone from her native Kaksar village in Kargil, Maqsooma said, “I want to join a training academy where I can focus on learning cricketing skills. It is my dream to represent my country. I am ready to work hard and become a good cricketer”.
She emulates former Indian captain Virat Kohli. He is my favorite cricketer. Cricket is my passion. I study for two hours and play cricket for four hours here in my village with other players.
Her school teachers also claimed Maqsooma along with a few other girls are regularly playing cricket and performing well but they need proper grooming under expert guidance to become top-class cricketers in their careers ahead.
Without disclosing his identity a senior teacher posted in Government High School Kaksar said, “Maqsooma and other school children received a cricket kit from District Youth Services and Sports Officer Kargil in the month of October 2022. Barring this no other initiative has been taken by the sports body or the UT administration in Ladakh to promote young cricketers, especially the girl child. The teacher also claimed, in some cases the family members were reluctant and not ready to allow their daughters to pursue cricket as their career option.
Maqsooma's father Shabir, working as a porter with the Indian army told The Pioneer, “Maqsooma is aspiring to be a cricketer. We are trying our best to facilitate and provide all possible help to her so that she realizes her dream.
During the T-20 tournament, several other young girls performed well and won honors during the tournament. Four school teams participated in the maiden cricket tournament.
Thanking Indian army authorities for organising the tournament Maqsooma said that the Indian Army always supports women's upliftment and this tournament is another milestone in this sector.
School teacher Talib Hussain told The Pioneer, “The school children have the only option of playing in their sports period. They represent the school in the district level competitions in games like Table Tennis, shot put, racing etc but not in Cricket. He appealed to the UT administration to support young cricketers so that they can receive better training facilities and make a mark in the cricketing field.