SHARJAH // For Shambhavi Gupta, cricket is a means of achieving her ultimate dream, which is to play for India someday.
Given her performance in the Sharjah Cricket Council's Inter-School girl's tournament, the Delhi Private School Dubai captain seems to be heading in the right direction.
Gupta picked up a handful of trophies after guiding DPS Dubai to a thrilling, penultimate-ball win over Gulf Indian High School Dubai in the final, including the player of the match and the player of the tournament awards.
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Chasing 65 from 10 overs for a win, Gupta anchored the chase with 13 runs, before being run out in the final over with her team needing two runs from four balls. Her efforts were not in vain and they won by three wickets.
"It was a very tough match," said Gupta, who scored 41 runs in the tournament and took five wickets. "The opposition did really well. The way they played, I thought the match was out of our hands, but my teammates played really well."
DPS Dubai had defeated the same team to win the Maxtalent title a few days earlier and Prosanta Chanda, the coach, could barely conceal his joy.
"Last year, we lost here by six runs against DPS Sharjah, so I am really happy to get back the title," he said. "We have been the champions in Dubai [in the Dubai Cricket Council league] for five consecutive years. We have won the Maxtalent for the last three years. In the Sharjah Cricket Council, we were the runners-up last year and this is our second title.
"The thing I am really proud of is that, in the last five years, we have been champions everywhere and not lost a single game, except here in the final."
Gupta has played a big part in those campaigns and she hopes to continue her progress and eventually knock on the doors of the India selectors.
"I have been playing cricket since fourth grade and I have been playing for the ECB [Emirates Cricket Board] since three years," she said.
"It started with my dad, he just took a tennis ball and tossed it towards me.
"He just tried to teach me how to drive the ball, or play the cut shot. That was how I started and that was my inspiration.
"Now I play cricket to fulfil my dream of playing for India and hopefully, someday I will do that."
Mohammed Haidar, head coach of the UAE women's team, was delighted with Gupta's performance and excited about the other fresh talents that the tournament has uncovered.
"We got four or five good players and basically that was our main aim - to organise a tournament like this and get some good girls," he said. "We already have a very good bunch of youngsters and this tournament will add a few more to the group.
"So this is really good for the game here, for the board, the councils and the schools as well.
"These girls looked really keen and the effort they put into the game in this weather just proves that."
Gulf Indian High School's Mussarat Khan, who took the best bowler of the tournament award, and Bonfila Pereira of Dubai Modern School, the best batsman of the tournament, are among those who got Haidar's invitation to join ECB net sessions.
Ashfaque Rajguru, the Gulf Indian coach, was far from disappointed after the second consecutive defeat in a final.
"I am not disappointed, but happy with the performance of the girls," he said.
"Last year, we were nowhere. The year before that, you would not even hear the name if Gulf Indian in cricket.
"This is our third year as a cricket team, but we are playing in Sharjah for the second time.
"Last year we reached the semi-finals and this year we made it to the final. So I am really happy with the progress and God willing, we will go one step further next year and win the title."
