Who is Saika Ishaque, Mumbai Indians’ Sensational Spinner of Choice? Know her WPL Stats
Saika Ishaque has quickly become one of the biggest finds of the 2023 Women’s Premier League (WPL). The uncapped Indian spinner has taken the tournament by storm as she took a four-wicket haul in the tournament opener between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants and continued her form in the clash against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
On that note, let’s take a closer look at this Bengal-based girl, who was quick to make a name in WPL 2023 and the current purple cap holder with 6 wickets.
Saika Ishaque WPL stats
| MATCHES | OVERS | BALLS | WKTS | Avg | RUNS | 4-FERS | 5-FERS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 24.1 | 145 | 12 | 13 | 161 | 1 | – |
Saika Ishaque WPL stats overview
Saika has been the find the of the season. And her WPL Stats speak for the same. Ishaque has been a thorn in the side of every batter she has bowled to in the tournament.
She started her season with a four-fer against Gujarat Giants. It was her great bowling that brought the Gujarat team down to their knees and helped Mumbai register one of the biggest victories in the history of T20 format.
Saika Ishaque WPL Stats only get better from this point onward as she managed to claim another brace in her second game of the season. This time it was against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The most eye catching thing about her bowling was the great economy rate she maintained in the game.
In her outing against Delhi Capitals, Saika put on another great show to claim three wickets. Only this time she gave away no runs in her spell and ended with the figures of 3 for 13 to her name. She put up another great show with 3 wickets to her name in the game against UP but went for a lot of runs as well.
Then came a slump for the star. And the Saika Ishaque WPL Stats took a toll when she went through a lean patch and couldn’t claim a single wicket in three consecutive games against Gujarat, UP and Delhi. She broke the deadlock against RCB by picking her first wicket in four games.
But that was not enough for Mumbai who suffered 2 loss in the four games. This shows how important Saika has been in Mumbai’s dominating performance in the season. Everyone will be hopeful of Saika Ishaque WPL Stats to only get better in Playoff stage.
Saika Ishaque’s Bengal connection
A 27-year-old woman from Bengal, Saika Ishaque whom MI purchased at the auction for her base price of Rs. 10 lakhs. Ishaque plays for MI mentor and Indian cricket legend Jhulan Goswami’s home state of Bengal, and it’s not hard to guess that the connection played a big role in MI’s signing here.
She began her cricketing journey at the Kalighat Club Women, where her training played a key role in making her a part of the Bengals’ U-19 and U-23 teams. After years of impressive performances for Bengal in domestic circuit, she came close to the national set-up after being picked for India D and India A in the Women’s T20 Challenge in 2021 and 2022, respectively.
From quitting the sport to making a name at the big stage
While speaking to a reputed media house, national selector Mithu Mukherjee shared insights about Saika’s life and the turning point of her life that kept the her dream alive.
Mr. Mukherjee said that despite her early entrance in board cricket Saika found it difficult to keep up the momentum. Moreover, growing up in a difficult environment in the slums of Park Circus and having lost her father at an early age, it was incredibly challenging for her to pursue the sport.
While her mother struggled to make ends meet, Saika – the youngest of the two sisters – chased her dreams of becoming a cricketer. “She was a bubbly young talent, who overcame all odds to follow her passion. It was not easy given the financial conditions at home, but we ensured that she got all the support,” Mukherjee said.
Saika’s trajectory as a career-changing moment
As stated by Starsports, Mukherjee ranks Singh’s intervention in Saika’s trajectory as a career-changing moment. Let’s see why.
Alongside her technique, an important facet to improve was her self confidence. Towards that end, Singh got Saika to train with the men’s team of East Bengal cricket team.
“I always knew that if you have to be ready for the WPL, you have to be ready for all challenges. That’s why I would make her train with the East Bengal men’s team and make her bowl at regular intervals. That strategy worked,” Singh reminisces.
The fruits of their labour are for all to see in the WPL.
Ishaque is yet to make her debut for the national team, but her impressive performances in the 2023 WPL are surely set to put her in the reckoning for a place in the squad. If she can keep her performances consistent, an Indian cap should not be far away for the 27-year-old.
Thank you for reading.
