Tribal family to World Cup glory: Kranti Goud's journey from a backup player in boy's team to India pacer - The Hindu

In the small rural town of Ghuwara in Madhya Pradeshâs Chhatarpur district, a 12-year-old would sit near a ground in front of her house and watch boys play cricket for hours. Now ten years later, the 22-year-old right-arm medium pacer lifted the ICC Womenâs ODI World Cup trophy in Navi Mumbai as India beat South Africa to win the title for the first time.Like many of her peers in Indiaâs World Cup winning team, Krantiâs story too began in a small town as she navigated through resistance, challenges, lack of resources and financial hardships to the historic moment at the DY Patil Stadium on the night of November 2. In Indiaâs second match in the World Cup against Pakistan, Kranti got three crucial wickets, conceding just 20 runs in 10 overs, to help opposition bundle out for 159 and won player of the match award.Her elder sister Roshni Goud recalls that Kranti barely played with the girls in the neighbourhood and was fascinated by cricket since childhood. She quit her studies after class 8.âWhen us girls would play outside, she would just sit and watch the boys play cricket in the ground.