The Reema-Mona partnership beyond the wicket

Mona Meshram is a member of the Indian women’s cricket team and plays for Railways under Mithali Raj. Reema Malhotra, who retired from international cricket early this year, is now exploring the world of broadcasting.

After the National Cricket Academy camp at Bangalore, Mona Meshram travelled to Delhi to spend some quality time with her mentor-cum-friend Reema Malhotra.

Playing a sport together builds partnerships that go beyond the field. Cricketers Mona Meshram and Reema Malhotra share such a bonding. Meshram is a member of the Indian women’s cricket team and plays for Railways under Mithali Raj. Malhotra, who retired from international cricket early this year, is now exploring the world of broadcasting. After the National Cricket Academy camp at Bangalore, Meshram travelled to Delhi to spend some quality time with her mentor-cum-friend. “A friend who keeps you motivated and grounded; Reema has been there with me in my ups and downs, having someone like her is really precious,” says Meshram. The duo played for India in the Asia Cup, T20 World Cup and Malhotra’s last World Cup in 2013. Reflecting on her career, Meshram says, “Initially when I was playing for Vidarbha, I never thought of the Indian jersey. The idea was to enjoy playing. Then I started scoring at junior levels and got recognized by the BCCI. After that, I chose cricket as a profession.”

READ: India's middle-order conundrum in focus ahead of semifinals Leagues like the Kia Super League, Women’s Big Bash League, Women’s Indian Premier League, etc. are gradually bringing a revolution in women cricket. Some big names from India are part of these global leagues. “Things have changed quite a bit after our World Cup performance in 2017,” points out Meshram and continues, “the WBBL and now in the WIPL, we have three teams. Earlier, we had just one exhibition match.” Moving on, Malhotra has shaped into a cricket pundit for various TV channels and radio platforms. “Earlier I had a bat in my hand. Now, it’s a microphone. It was more about physical activity and now it’s more mental. It is good to be sharing my experiences from the game,” says the former batting all-rounder.