Questions and talking points from India women’s new annual central contract announcement
On Wednesday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) finally - and by finally, we mean after seven months - announced the annual central contract for the Indian women’s team for 2020/21. There was the large surprise of omission of Veda Krishnamurthy and Ekta Bisht but is that it all?
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International career
Ekta Bisht, born on February 8, 1986, is a prominent cricketer from India. She plays as a slow left-arm orthodox bowler. Ekta is the first woman cricketer from Uttarakhand to represent India. She also became the first Indian woman to take a hat-trick in a Women's T20I match.
Growing up in Almora, Uttarakhand, Ekta faced many difficulties. Her father, who had retired from the Indian Army, had to sell tea for years to support the family. Despite these challenges, Ekta’s love for cricket began when she was very young. She started playing cricket at the age of 5, often playing with boys in her neighborhood. She trained at the local multi-purpose cricket ground in Almora.
In 2006, she became the captain of the Uttarakhand cricket team. After playing for the Uttar Pradesh team between 2007 and 2010, Ekta was selected for the Indian women’s cricket team in 2011. Her debut came on July 2, 2011, against Australia. From that moment, her career took off.
In an interview, Ekta shared how she felt when she learned she had been selected for the Indian team. It was a dream come true. Her father, who had worked hard for years to support the family, was incredibly proud of her.
Ekta’s journey wasn’t easy. She faced financial difficulties, and buying cricket equipment was a struggle. But with the support of her family and coaches, she kept moving forward. She remembered her first World Cup appearance, where she played at Lord's stadium in the final. Though India lost, Ekta felt proud to be part of a team that sparked a change in how people viewed women’s cricket in India.
Since then, interest in women’s cricket has grown in India. More academies are opening, and investors are starting to support the sport. Ekta remains committed to her journey, hoping to inspire others to follow in her footsteps.
2011
- WODI Debut: Ekta played her first Women’s One Day International (WODI) for India on July 2, 2011, against Australia.
- WT20I Debut: She played her first Women’s T20I for India on June 23, 2011, against Australia.
2012
- Hat-trick: On October 3, 2012, Ekta took a hat-trick during the ICC World Women’s T20 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, against Sri Lanka.
2014
- WTest Debut: Ekta played her first Women’s Test match for India against England at Wormsley from August 13 to 16, 2014.
2017
- ICC Women’s World Cup: Ekta helped India reach the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup final. India lost to England by nine runs. Ekta also took 5 wickets for 18 runs against Pakistan in the group stage.
- ICC Women's ODI and T20I Teams: In December 2017, she was named in both the ICC Women’s ODI and T20I Teams of the Year.
2018
- ICC Women’s World T20: Ekta was part of India’s squad for the 2018 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 in the West Indies.
- Record Performance: In 2017, she took 5 wickets for 18 runs against Pakistan, breaking her own record of 5 wickets for 8 runs against Colombo earlier that year.
2019
- Last WT20I: Ekta played her final Women’s T20I on March 9, 2019, against England at Guwahati.
2021
- Test Match Selection: In May 2021, Ekta joined India’s squad for a one-off Test match against England, despite not having a central contract with the BCCI.
2022
- Last WODI: Ekta played her final WODI on February 18, 2022, against New Zealand at Queenstown.
- ICC Women's World Cup Reserve: Ekta was named one of the three reserve players for India’s team at the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.
Leagues Participation
In December 2023, Ekta Bisht was signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore during the Women's Premier League auction for the 2024 season.
Women's Premier League
Ekta Bisht joined the Women's Premier League in December 2023 when Royal Challengers Bangalore signed her for the 2024 season. In March 2024, she became the oldest player in the league at the age of 38. Bisht was retained for the 2025 season and valued at 60 lakhs. Her performance in the WPL is as follows:
Year
|
Team
|
Notes
|
2024
|
Royal Challengers Bangalore
|
Played in the season. WPL 23/24: 12 Runs and 0 wickets.
|
2025
|
Royal Challengers Bangalore
|
Retained for the season. WPL 2024/25: 2 Runs and 3 wickets.
|
Domestic career
Ekta Bisht started playing cricket at the age of six. She played with boys and often attracted attention as she was the only girl on the team. Her father, who received a pension of ₹1,500 (₹20,000 or US$240 in 2023) from his army job, opened a tea stall in Almora to support his daughter's cricket dreams. Bisht also became the captain of Kumaon University in the North zone, which helped develop her leadership skills.
She began her domestic career in 2006 when she became the captain of the Uttarakhand cricket team. Bisht played for Uttar Pradesh from 2007 to 2012. During this time, she was mentored by Liyakat Ali, who coached the Uttaranchal Women's Cricket Association team.
In 2011, Bisht was selected for the Indian women’s national cricket team and made her ODI debut against Australia on July 2, 2011. In February of the same year, she achieved a memorable performance against Pakistan, taking five wickets for just eight runs.
From 2013 to 2022, Bisht played for Railways. She joined the Trailblazers in 2018 and Velocity from 2019 to 2020 for the Women’s T20 Challenge. In 2022, she moved to Uttarakhand, where she continues her career. Despite facing a few tough seasons without a national call-up, she remained dedicated to her cricket and continued to represent her state teams.
Records and achievements
Ekta Bisht has achieved a lot in her cricket career. Here are some of her key records and awards:
- ICC Women's ODI and T20I Teams of the Year: In December 2017, Bisht was the only woman selected for both the ICC Women's ODI and T20I Teams of the Year.
- Khel Ratna Award: In November 2017, she received the Khel Ratna Award from the Uttarakhand government for her achievements in cricket.
- First Women's T20 Cricket World Cup Hat-Trick: Bisht took the first-ever hat-trick in the Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup against Sri Lanka. Her figures were 4 overs, 16 runs, and 3 wickets.
- Best Bowling Figures Against England: Bisht's best bowling figures were 4 wickets for 21 runs against England in 2016.
- Women's Cricket World Cup Final: Bisht was part of the Indian team that reached the final of the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup. India lost to England by 9 runs.
- Record for Most Wickets in a Match (2017): She holds the record for taking 53 wickets in 42 matches.
- Best Bowling Figures in an Innings: Bisht took 5 wickets for 8 runs during the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
- May 2021: India’s Test Squad: Bisht was selected for India's test squad for the one-off match against England's women’s team.
- January 2022: Women's Cricket World Cup Reserve Player: She was one of the three reserve players selected for the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.
Bisht’s hard work and success in both national and international cricket have made her a key player for India.
Personal life
Ekta Bisht’s personal life is marked by her family support and a successful career. She comes from a humble background and has worked hard to achieve success.
Family
Ekta Bisht was born on February 8, 1986, in Almora, Uttarakhand. Her father, Kundan Singh Bisht, is a retired Havaldar in the Indian Army. Her mother is Tara Bisht. Ekta has three older siblings: Kaushal, Vineet, and Shweta. She keeps her family life private and doesn’t share much about her spouse or children.
Finances
As of February 2025, Ekta Bisht's net worth is estimated at $1.68 million. This includes her income from cricket and other sources like endorsements.
Scandals
Ekta faced many challenges in her career. She started playing cricket at a young age, often in difficult conditions. In 2005, she suffered an injury during a match against Pakistan. This injury led to depression, but she returned to the sport after 12 years, achieving success in the same match.
Fans
Ekta Bisht has earned respect from fans worldwide. Her dedication and achievements in cricket have made her a role model. She has 70,000 followers on Instagram, where her fans follow her updates.