Chinese women's team cheers for India

4 MORE CLICK HERE

Mohali: The Indian team received rousing support from some unlikely fans here on Monday with members of China's national women's cricket squad cheering raucously from the stands.

They inevitably drew a lot of attention from curious locals at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium, hosting India's fourth game of a seven-match one-day series against Australia.

The 15-member squad is here to learn the nuances of a sport unfamiliar in their country as they prepare for the Asian Games, to be held in the Chinese city of Guangzhou from November 12-27 next year.

"We love Sachin Tendulkar," the girls screamed in unison when asked to name their favourite Indian player.

Team coach Mamatha Maben, a former India women's international, said cricket was virtually unknown in China a decade ago but the girls were learning the sport fast.

"They have an incredible desire to learn the game," Maben told AFP as she joined the players in the packed stands.

"You will be surprised by their knowledge of the game and their zest to catch up with the rest of the cricket-playing world.

"We are not looking at winning medals next year at the Games but in the next five-six years we are confident of being pretty competitive."

"In a Twenty20 tournament organised by the Asian Cricket Council in Malaysia last year, the Chinese women reached the semi-finals before losing to Thailand. They are being taught only Twenty20 cricket because that format will be played at the Asian Games, where the sport is making its debut.

China have gained automatic qualification in both the men's and women's competition by virtue of being the hosts next year.

0 comments:

Post a Comment

top