Premium'Faster than Umran Malik': Gujarat Giants' Shabnam Shakil's aim is to become the youngest and fastest bowler | Exclusive
Shabnam Shakil, only 15 years old, was part of India's U19 World Cup-winning team.
Last Updated: 02.40 PM, Mar 03, 2023
When one thinks of pacers, speed is undoubtedly the first thing that comes to mind. Bowlers like Brett Lee, Shoaib Akhtar, and now the Indian young gun Umran Malik have made a name for themselves due to the pace with which they bowl. Shabnam Shakil, 15, wishes to be included on this list.
The bowler drew the attention of Indian selectors while playing regional cricket due to her ability to bowl at 110 Kmph. She then joined 25 other girls at a National Cricket Academy (NCA) camp and went on to represent India in various home and away series.
She was a member of the Indian Women's U19 T20 World Cup team in 2023, where she demonstrated her potential in the games she was given the opportunity to play and helped her team win the inaugural ICC Women's U19 World Cup tournament.
The right-arm medium pacer from Andhra Pradesh was later signed by Gujarat Giants in the Women's Premier League (WPL) Auction 2023.
Speaking exclusively to OTTplay, she spoke about her bowling and what are her own expectations at the WPL. "Without a doubt, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, and Shafali Verma are the key players whose wickets I want to take."
However, she also wants to set a record for being the fastest bowler. "I want to set a record for being the youngest but fastest bowler in history. I would like to be as fast or even faster than Umran Malik," she added.
The pacer also stated that she hopes to make it to the Indian senior team soon. "At the WPL, I will perform to the best of my abilities. This will aid my chances of making the senior national team ".
In terms of the WPL, she was sold to Gujarat Giants for 10 lakhs in the first WPL auction in February 2023. The tournament is set to begin on March 4, 2023, and will feature numerous female cricketers from across the country and around the world.
The Giants will face the Mumbai Indians Women (MI) in the first game of the WPL at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.