S Asha WPL showed us that everybody can dream

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Monday was an emotional day for S Asha. At 33 years and 51 days, and after waiting out a heavy downpour and storm in Sylhet, the legspinner made her maiden India appearance, becoming the country's oldest debutant in women's T20Is. Asha is a living example in this sport that your wildest dreams can and do come true when you don't limit yourself.

"I have no words to describe the feeling I'm going through," Asha said in an almost empty press-conference room after the game. "I was pretty emotional, of course. 2012 was the year when I came into probables for the first time in India. From there, if you see, it's like touching 13-14 years. So, I am feeling so happy."

Asha's journey, in fact, has been longer than 13-14 years. She made her debut for Kerala in 2006, at the age of 15. In 2011, she made the step up to Railways, the most formidable domestic side in Indian women's cricket, and played there for a decade, before leaving in 2022. At one time, she even took up a commentary gig during a men's T20 tournament in Puducherry. Eventually, she agreed to lead a young Puducherry women's team in the 2022-2023 season. It was during her time in Puducherry that Royal Challengers Bangalore's (now Bengaluru) scouts were impressed with her bowling and decided to rope her in for the inaugural WPL season in 2023.

She stole the limelight in WPL 2024. She ended the competition - during which she also became the first Indian to take a five-wicket haul - as the second-highest wicket-taker with 12 scalps at 15.41, with an economy rate of 7.11. These displays for RCB, who eventually won the title, helped her earn her maiden India call-up for this tour of Bangladesh.

On Monday she starred with two wickets as India went 4-0 up with a match to spare with a 56-run win in the fourth T20I against Bangladesh. She had finally arrived, after all those years of anticipation, patience, downturns, hardships, passion and dreams.

Despite Asha bringing a bucketload of experience from domestic cricket, India waited until they had taken an unassailable 3-0 lead to unleash her at this level. For Asha, it was worth the wait.

"I have been through so many struggles and [put in a lot of] hard work. It was worth this moment. Really happy," Asha, who was handed her India cap by Mandhana, said. "It was not easy for me to make [my] debut at the age of 33. But the credit goes to BCCI, selectors, captain, vice-captain, all the team members, coaches and management for having faith in me and giving me the opportunity to play at 33. The kind of faith they showed [in] me, that's amazing.

"[WPL] was an amazing journey, playing under Smriti in WPL. Coming along with Smriti and Harry [Harmanpreet Kaur] paaji, the most experienced player at the moment, it's an amazing feeling. At one point in time, I thought I could never make it to the national side. But WPL gave us that opportunity and showed us that everybody can dream, and dream is not that far, and we can always achieve it. So WPL changed my life."

It was also a special day for her captain Harmanpreet, who at 35 became the second Indian woman after Mithali Raj to play 300 international games. Having watched Harmanpreet play from a young age, Asha said it was a "nice feeling" to play alongside her in Indian colours.

"I am feeling so blessed to share some time with some elite athletes of our country," she said. "They know [when to] switch on and switch off really well. They are very free [with] us, they come to us and talk. At the same time, they know when to switch on. Next moment, they are that serious team player. I am watching Harry paaji from my 18 years. I never thought I would be playing with her."

Asha's debut also made her the third player from Kerala, after Minnu Manni and S Sajana, to make her way to the India Women side. A year ago, none of the three had represented India. And before Asha, only two over-30s had debuted for India in T20Is. Acknowledging what she has achieved at her age, she only had one message to those putting in the hard yards behind the scenes: Never stop dreaming.

"If it's a long journey, don't give up. That's what I want to say," Asha said. "Sometimes what happens is in the journey ahead, we will think, 'oh, it's a long journey. I might want to take a break. Maybe I will quit.' But don't do that. You never know what's going to happen next. So, the way WPL changed my life, anything can happen to anyone. And never stop dreaming. Dreams are not so far to achieve."

Maybe, Asha's dream of "playing a World Cup for my country" isn't far away either.