Women's T20 World Cup: Jemimah Rodrigues has impressed a lot, says Windies' Shakera Selman

Image Credits: Twitter/@JemiRodrigues

West Indies fast bowler Shakera Selman has heaped praises on Indian batwomen Jemimah Rodrigues, saying that the latter is a really good cricketer who has impressed a lot at such a young age.

Rodrigues recently posted a picture on her official Instagram handle with Selman aged 13 and, six years on, the pair will share a stage at the ongoing International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia.

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To be Honest, I'm overwhelmed by this- Where I was then & where God has got me now.... The 13y/o girl who went to watch the West Indies play didn't think she'd be competing alongside them 6 years later. It all feels like a dream & Im loving every part of it... But the BEST is yet to come . #Believe #BleedBlue

A post shared by Jemimah Rodrigues (@jemimahrodrigues) on Dec 7, 2019 at 6:53am PST

The Barbadian seamer - who made her T20I debut in 2008, when Rodrigues was seven - is proud to have planted a seed in one of the world’s most exciting young batters.

“Honestly, I just felt really great to have inspired someone and Jemimah has impressed a lot. She is a really good cricketer and it meant a lot to see that this young girl that I met ten years ago is on the world stage now and dominating," the ICC press release quoted Selman as saying.

“My main goal is always to inspire and help however I can. So whenever I go home I try to help out and bring through other youngsters back in Barbados whenever I get the chance," the Caribbean bowler said. 

“Some of the girls who watched us are actually playing with us now, like Aaliyah Alleyne, and it is commendable, and I am happy to see that," she added. 

The pair won’t meet on the field in the group stage, with India placed in Group A and West Indies in Group B, but could face one another in the knockout stages.

West Indies appear to have all bases covered in their pace attack, with youth in the shape of World Cup debutants Alleyne and Cherry-Ann Fraser and experience in Shamilia Connell and Selman.

They will also profit from the experience of a Caribbean cricketing legend during the tournament with Courtney Walsh joining the team as a bowling coach.

While India kicked off their campaign in the showpiece event with a 17-run win over defending champion and four-time winner Australia in their opening clash, West Indies clinched a 7-wicket win over Thailand in their first match. 

On Monday, India defeated Bangladesh by 18 runs in their second group stage clash. The Caribbean side, on the other hand, will now lock horns with Pakistan on Wednesday.