When Uswa Syed’s brother told her to play cricket, she said she must ask their father first – & the likely response was no.
Uswa’s brother is 21-year-old Hashim Mir who’s back tin Pakistan from Barcelona, playing in the KPL for KOTLI LIONS
“My brother said: ‘You want to play cricket?’ & I said: ‘Yes, but first I have to ask my father’ & he said: ‘No, you have to play cricket,’ & I’m saying like: ‘No, he’s my father, I have to ask him.’
“Because in our culture it’s very difficult for the girl to play cricket so when I ask my father & he say ‘Yes’, it was a great moment for me.
“He said: ‘Because it’s your passion you can do it.’ He watch cricket because of me & because my brother plays as well but otherwise he doesn’t like cricket.”
Uswa is grateful for her brother, too: “He always support me every moment, he always video call me to show me how to play cricket shots.
“My mum supports me as well, all family support me because they know I can do something good in cricket.”
Playing for boys’ teams & also Spain’s only the start of Uswa’s ambitions which took root as a 6yo playing hardball.
“I’m happy I’m playing in the national team for Spain but maybe I will apply for different clubs in maybe Netherlands & do practice with them.”
She was able to watch them this week after Hashim told her to go to Desert Springs: “My brother said: ‘Go & watch, you will learn from different teams.'”
Uswa’s helping develop women’s cricket in Barcelona & the community there just won a votes-based competition for a sports ground. It should be ready in December.
“It’s a good thing for us because we don’t have proper training sessions & every time we need different grounds to play. Maybe every Saturday we try to play but only for two hours.
“We need more & more practice maybe three times a week now because we’re in the national team. Now we have a ground & I’m excited we will start training sessions in December.”
Ultimately, Uswa’s happy she’s playing at all: “Cricket is my passion & there’s a lot of girls, they also wanted to play cricket but they can’t so it’s really sad.
“Sometimes I’m really sad about them but we can’t do anything because everyone has different thoughts.”
Keep playing hard & can’t wait to follow your future, Uswa!
JENNY THOMPSON – HER WORLD CRICKET TOUR ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM
