Ahmedabad, February 10
Hard work and persistence always pay off, they say. For Baroda's Tarannum Pathan, it could very well be her life's theme. Having put in her best efforts for over a decade and more, the off-break bowler is all set to make a splash in the upcoming season of Women's Premier League (WPL) as part of the Gujarat Giants.
Capable of delivering solid all-round performances, Tarannum credits her father and uncle for their undeterred support that helped her succeed. "It is all because of the hard work and dedication my father and uncle put in over the years. Family support has been immense; my folks never shied away from backing me," the 30-year-old cricketer says.
The WPL auction was a day of reckoning and Tarannum and her family were glued to the proceedings. "We thought she will not get picked. Then Tarannum called to tell us that Gujarat Giants had picked her," Mumtaz Banu, her mother, said. "Her father was overjoyed," added her mother.
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Tarannum said, "I had lost hope. I began thinking this would not work out. And then my friends started texting me but I did not believe them. Then I spoke to my brother, who confirmed the news," Tarannum said.
"For me, the biggest joy was that I was going to be playing for Gujarat Giants," he added.
When asked what she is looking forward to, Tarannum said, "I am keen on working with Nooshin Al Khadeer. She is also an off-spinner like me but I never had the chance to work with her."
She also wants to learn from the legendary Mithali Raj, who is the Mentor and Advisor of Gujarat Giants. "I am looking forward to sharing the dressing room with Mithali Raj and Nooshin Al Khadeer. I can learn a lot from them."
The second season of the WPL will be played in Bengaluru and New Delhi, with the tournament starting on February 23 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Meanwhile, the Giants will take the field against the Mumbai Indians in their first match of the campaign on February 25. With just two wins in eight matches last year, Gujarat Giants had failed to advance to playoffs.