On Sunday, Yastika Bhatia created history at Lord’s as she became the first woman cricketer to score a Test century at the iconic venue, scoring 113 off 158 balls against England. What makes the achievement even more special is that the wicketkeeper-batter from Vadodara made a comeback to the Indian team recently after a career-threatening ligament injury on her left leg, which kept her out of action for months.In a post-match media interaction, she shared, “It feels unbelievable because just six months ago, I was in a very different place and if you had told me that I would have my name on the Lord’s honours board, I wouldn’t have believed it. I have worked very hard and my family’s support has been there since the very beginning. All of that has really paid off and it’s a great feeling.”Former Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More, who has mentored Yastika, feels, “Scoring a century at an iconic venue like Lord’s is on the wish list of every cricketer, and very few manage to achieve it. The way Yastika overcame a career-threatening injury to stage a remarkable comeback and achieve this milestone should be celebrated and I am sure it will motivate many aspiring young cricketers.”She is over the moon: Yastika’s dad HarishTalking to us, an elated Harish Bhatia, Yastika’s dad, says, “Yastika spoke to us after the day’s play and while she was extremely tired, she was over the moon. All her teammates clapped for her and shouted her name while her name was being written on the Lord’s honours board. It’s one of the happiest moments for our family.”Reflecting on the last few months, he adds, “One of Yastika’s biggest dreams was to be a part of a World Cup-winning Indian team. But due to her injury, she couldn’t be a part of the team that won the World Cup last year. Initially, she was feeling very low after this injury but gradually, she focused on her recovery. The BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru played a big role in her recovery and we are grateful to every person who made sure that she made a successful comeback to the Indian team. We will celebrate the moment when she is back home.”Yastika at Lord’s113 off 158 balls.Boundaries: 14Strike rate: 71.51Excellence on and off the fieldEmerging Player of the Year (WPL 2023)One of the nominees for the ICC (International CricketCouncil) Emerging Women’s Cricketer of the Year for 202288.8% in Class XII board exams95% in Class X board exams
