Ni putu ayu nanda sakarini: Cricket News & Match Updates

Ni Putu Ayu Nanda Sakarini: Twelve years ago, Indonesia had no Women's T20I status, no turf ground, and, the federation admits, barely a cricket structure outside expatriate clubs. On Monday, at Dubai International Stadium, the Indonesia senior women's team will walk out for their first-ever Women's Asia Cup match against Bangladesh. They will also take on defending champions Sri Lanka and hosts UAE.

For Indonesia, the fourth most populous country in the world with over 17,000 islands, it's a milestone twelve years in the making, one that almost nobody outside the country saw coming. Leading them out will be Ni Putu Ayu Nanda Sakarini, a wicketkeeper-batter who discovered the sport at high school in 2013.

Badminton, not cricket, was the sport she grew up with. Her parents dabbled in it too, and badminton remains Indonesia's standout Olympic sport, with eight golds, six silvers and eight bronzes. "Because of that, I loved the sport. But badminton has so many players, and it was difficult to be involved in the national team. So, I thought cricket was good for me, and now it's my career," Nanda told IANS.   Read More...