Pioneering Thai women look to make their mark
In a country where a Muay Thai right hook is more familiar than a batter’s hook shot, Thailand’s pioneering women cricketers are winning hearts with smiles, dance moves – and skill.
In contrast to Asian powerhouses India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, where the game has deep historical roots going back to British imperial rule, cricket remains in its infancy in Thailand and is still virtually unknown.
Thailand qualified for the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia, where the hosts beat India in the final, but further progress is being hampered by minimal exposure on TV and lack of access to equipment.
They have suffered heartbreak too. Thailand were on course to reach the 50-over World Cup in New Zealand in March-April, but saw their dream shattered when the qualifying tournament was abandoned amid the pandemic.
All-rounder Chanida Sutthiruang, who played in the T20 World Cup where Thailand failed to win in four games and bowed out in the group stage, said even her own family struggled to grasp the sport. “Most people in Thailand associate cricket with hockey. My parents don’t understand what cricket is,” the 28-yearold farmer’s daughter said.
At early morning training on the outskirts of Bangkok, Natthakan Chantam was all smiles as a bowling machine sent 100km/h deliveries at her.
“I love the celebrations when you score a run or get someone out ... there are celebrations in every moment of the game,” the 26-year-old opener, Thailand’s top run-scorer at the T20 World Cup, said. “I think that’s the charm of cricket.”
Thailand made their international debut in 2007 but had drastically improved in the past three years, their Indian head coach Harshal Pathak said.
“We like to play cricket with an aggressive brand ... there’s an intent in everything – the way we bat, the way we field, the way we bowl. There’s a businesslike attitude,” he said. “The girls want to make a mark for themselves.”
The country’s cricket association started offering full- and parttime contracts about 10 years ago, which stopped a talent drain caused by women from poorer rural backgrounds being unable to afford to play. But their biggest recent setback was the failure to reach the prestige 50-over Women’s World Cup in New Zealand.
Thailand won three out of four matches but the NovemberDecember qualifying series in Zimbabwe was abandoned because of the Omicron variant emerging in southern Africa.
The three remaining World Cup places were handed out based on one-day international rankings, meaning Bangladesh, Pakistan and the West Indies qualified instead.
“We felt so empty,” Chanida said. “One minute we were celebrating a win and then a minute later we were told we were disqualified and we had to rush to the airport to get back to Thailand because of Omicron.”
Whatever happens, former Australian captain turned commentator Lisa Sthalekar said they would continue to win hearts with their captivating smiles, on-field dancing and traditional bowing.