Thailand Women: From part-time cricketers to global entertainers
The feel-good story of the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup undoubtedly belongs to Thailand. In a country where the game of cricket is yet to make a mark, the Thai girls have risen from nowhere to showcase their talents brilliantly on the global stage. The story of the Thailand Women’s Cricket Team is one to be cherished.
Only 11 players in the country have a cricket-playing contract to boast about. Most of the women who represent the country are semi-professionals. They have to juggle between their passion for the game with a job or educational commitments. Yet they became the first team from South-East Asia to qualify for the tournament. The majority of the squad also shifted to cricket from other sports like softball and volleyball.
During the rain delay, Thailand kept the fans entertained on the big screen with an impromptu dance-off 🕺
Thank you for being part of #TheBigDance!#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/0wx0Nbzxuy
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) March 3, 2020
Making an impression in the qualifiers
But they took to the game like a duck to water, showcasing their talents during the qualifiers. They first topped their group, winning 3 out of 3 matches. In the semi-final, they thrashed Papua New Guinea by 8 wickets. Though they tasted defeat against Bangladesh in the finals, the improbable dream of qualification for the World Cup was already achieved. Once the aim was achieved, they cultivated a family atmosphere in the camp despite the diversity in the squad, which was there for all to see.
Though they lost 3 out of 4 games in the Group Stage, they have shown rapid signs of improvement in each and every contest. In their final group game against Pakistan, they stunned one and all by registering a score of 150/3 on the board before the match was called off due to rain. Had the weather Gods not interfered, we could have well witnessed one of the biggest upsets in the history of the competition.
Thailand have also wowed one and all with their infectious spirit, not letting big defeats bring their morale down. The smile never disappeared from their faces, as they continued to dance around, winning hearts one by one.
