As expected, similar to the men’s IPL, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has started to deliver on the talent meets opportunity saying. And as the IPL did in its many years, the WPL too has helped the franchises unearth young, uncapped, unknown talent.
The first one that has taken the WPL 2023 by storm is Saika Ishaque, and it comes as a no surprise that it is Mumbai Indians who have given the WPL this brilliant left-arm spinner.
On her WPL debut, which was also the first-ever match in the WPL, Saika Ishaque took 4 wickets, returning with stunning figures of 4/11, against Gujarat Giants as she helped MI bowl GG out for only 64, winning the game by 143 runs.
In the second match, then, Saika Ishaque two dangerous top-order batters of RCB: opener Sophie Devine and number 3 Disha Kasat. The 27-year-old left-arm spinner now proudly and happily dons the Purple Cap – for being the leading wicket-taker at this point in the tournament – for her 6 wickets in 2 WPL matches.
Here are some interesting facts about Saika Ishaque:
- Saika Ishaque was born on October 08, 1995, Calcutta (now Kolkata), Bengal.
- Saika Ishaque was bought by MI-W in the auction for her base price of INR 10 lakhs. Fair to say, she had been scouted well by MI earlier, and the franchise is now reaping the rewards of the faith they put in her.
- She played for India A in the Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy and represented Bengal Women in domestic cricket. In the Women’s T20 Challenge – the tournament the BCCI used to conduct before the WPL – Saika featured for the Trailblazers. In her home city, she plays her club cricket for Kalighat Cricket Club in Kolkata.
- Saika Ishaque has played at almost all the age levels for Bengal. She has been a top performer in the domestic circuit and her mentor is former Bengal bowler Shiv Sagar Singh.
- Saika got the limelight when in a domestic match against Punjab, she dismissed India players Harmanpreet Kaur and Yastika Bhatia in consecutive deliveries.
- Saika Ishaque has a lot of interest in motorcycles and she often drives motorcycles when she is in Kolkata.
