Photo Credit: Cricket Canada
Teenaged Ontario all-rounder Rabbyjot Rajput has been included in the Canadian National Women’s cricket squad to participate in the 2022 South American Championships to be held in Brazil from October 13-16, 2022. Accomplished all-rounder Divya Saxena has been appointed as captain of the fourteen-member squad announced by the Canadian National Women’s Selectors.
The full squad is as follows: Divya Saxena (Captain), Achini Perera (Vice Captain), Hala Azmat, Rey Blais, Mannut Hundal, Amarpal Kaur, Krima Kapadia, Danielle McGahey, Rhea Misra, Kainat Qazi, Hiba Shamshad, Rabbyjot Rajput, Sana Zafar and Vijayani Vithanage.
Canada will join Argentina, Peru and hosts Brazil for the four-day tournament. As a specially invited team it will be Canada’s first ever appearance at the tournament which will be celebrating its twelfth year of existence. The tournament’s Peru-hosted 2019 edition was the first to be awarded official ICC points ranking status. The 2020 and 2021 editions were unfortunately both cancelled because of the COVID pandemic.
The fourteen-year-old Rabbyjot Rajput, who was born on July 8, 2008, in New Delhi, India warranted her squad inclusion through outstanding performances during the recently concluded Canadian National Women’s T20 Tournament. Representing the Ontario Heat as the host Province’s second “developmental” team, “Rabby” as she’s now fondly known to everyone who has made her delightful acquaintance, belied her teenaged years to produce outstanding bowling performances in becoming the tournament’s third highest wicket-taker.
Only the veteran Canadian National Women’s spinner Sonali Vig and Mammath Hundal had superior wicket tallies at the conclusion of the five-day tournament. Vig’s fourteen captured wickets and Hundal’s thirteen were both marginally superior to Rajput’s very impressive haul of eleven tournament scalps.
Cricket Canada has also announced the appointment of former Canadian National all-rounder Rizwan Cheema as its National Women’s Head Coach, his first assignment for which will be the forthcoming Brazil Tour. As a world renowned ultra-aggressive T20 specialist batsman, the Pakistan-born Cheema made his Canadian debut in 2008. He represented Canada in 33 ODI and 24 T20I matches scoring a total of 1153 runs while also capturing 41 wickets with his medium-pacers.
Name of Author: Cricket Canada
Cricket Canada, established in 1892 and based in Toronto, governs cricket in Canada. It manages national men’s and women’s teams, youth teams, and grassroots programs. An ICC associate member since 1968, Cricket Canada represents the country in the ICC Americas region.
