Second Patiala girl in ‘probables list’ for India squad

Moksha Chaudhary remembers all the times when her father took her to watch cricket matches in Patiala. As a child she saw the likes of Navjot Sidhu and Pankaj Dharmani play cricket at Baradari Grounds and her love for the game began and grew.

Soon, her father knew Moksha was destined to become a cricketer and shifted base to Patiala and got her enrolled in Guru Teg Bahadur School, especially for her cricket training.

Eight years and a lot of hardwork later Moksha has been named as a probable in the Indian women's team for the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup to be held in India in January.

The probables will attend a conditioning camp in December in preparation for the mega event. Apart from Moksha, Harmanpreet Bhullar is the other Punjab player to be in the probables list. Moksha is the second woman cricketer from Patiala to have made it to the Indian camp after Anureet Dua.

Speaking to Newsline from Patiala, Moksha expressed her excitement over her selection, "I have had a decent season for Punjab. I was not expecting a call for the camp, but now I am feeling on top of the world. It will be tremendous exposure for me to train along side established women cricketers. I hope to learn from the camp. I am not thinking of making it to the WC squad yet, but it would be amazing if I am able to make the berth in the final team. It would be like a dream coming true if I get to wear the Indian colours in the WC." Moksha idolizes Sachin Tendulkar and Australia's Glenn McGrath.

A qualified electronics engineer from Thapar University, Moksha requested her father to grant her one year for cricket after completing her degree.

Moksha has been training hard at the PCA stadium with Harmanpreet under coach Munish Bali. "There came a point in my life when my parents wanted me to quit the game and concentrate on the professional front. But I wanted to give myself a chance, and I am happy to have got into the probables list," said Moksha.

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