Cricket Australia (CA) recently announced the under-19 women’s squad for their upcoming tri-series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka, with the matches being played in Queensland. The tri-series will get underway on September 19.
The Youth Selection Panel has selected 15-player squads for each format (T20 and 50-over) for the tri-series in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Ribya Syan, Samara Dulvin, and Hasrat Gill are the three Indian-origin players who are part of Australia’s U-19 squad for the tri-series. This announcement comes as part of a broader push by Cricket Australia to promote emerging talent from diverse backgrounds.
“Their inclusion reflects the growing diversity within Australian cricket and the significant contributions of players with Indian heritage,” CA mentioned in their statement.
The growing presence of players with Indian heritage in domestic and international cricket highlights this shift, as the sport increasingly embraces diversity. Historically, Australian cricket was dominated by players from Anglo-Australian backgrounds, but as demographic shifts have occurred and the Indian community has expanded, so too has the composition of cricket teams at all levels. This evolution mirrors the path once forged by Lisa Sthalekar, who, of Indian origin, became one of the greatest all-rounders for Australia and was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2021.
The 18-year-old Hasrat Gill, who was born in Amritsar, Punjab, before migrating to Australia, has been selected for the upcoming tri-series. She was also part of Australia’s U-19 squad that played in a tri-series in Sri Lanka involving England. Gill was Australia’s leading wicket-taker in that tri-series, taking six wickets, and also contributed 48 runs with the bat. She will look to capitalize on her opportunities in the upcoming tri-series involving Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Hasrat Gill has also represented the Melbourne Stars in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL).
Ribya Syan is a spin-bowling all-rounder from Victoria, while Samara Dulvin was also part of the tri-series held in Sri Lanka earlier this year in March 2024. She featured in four matches during that tri-series but didn’t have an ideal performance, amassing only 18 runs in four matches. The Indian-origin Australian batter will look to make the most of her inclusion in Australia’s under-19 squad for the upcoming tri-series.
In this 14-day tri-series, all teams will play four T20s and two One-Dayers, with the series beginning on September 19.
