As the Women’s Asia Cup approaches,
Maryam's journey in cricket began in a humble setting, playing tape-ball cricket with her father during her childhood. It wasn't until her college years that she transitioned to hard-ball cricket, a decision that marked a turning point in her sporting life. "I used to play tape-ball cricket with my dad and in primary school. When I went to college, we didn't have tape-ball cricket, we only had hard-ball cricket. For my enjoyment and love for cricket, I wanted to try hard-ball cricket," she shared in a recent interview.
Her commitment to the sport led her to join the national team after excelling with her school team. Maryam's early experiences included participating in the 2018 ASEAN Cup in Thailand, which further solidified her dedication to cricket.
Balancing Education and Cricket
For Maryam, the path to becoming a cricketer was not without its challenges. In Hong Kong, academic success is paramount, and she had to juggle her studies with rigorous training schedules. "In Hong Kong, studies are very important, and managing studies and cricket training was difficult for me, because my mom had a rule that I needed to pass my studies to play cricket," she explained. This balancing act required her to train early in the morning and again in the evening, making it one of her biggest hurdles.
Maryam attributes much of her motivation to her father, who had aspired to play for the national team but was unable to fulfill that dream. "My dad has the biggest influence on me, because my dad's dream was to play for a national side, and he couldn't play due to some personal reasons. So, I wanted to lift up his dream," she said.
Lessons from Past Encounters
Maryam has faced Indian teams before, notably during the 2023 ACC Women's Emerging Teams Asia Cup, where Hong Kong suffered a heavy defeat against India A. Despite the loss, she views it as a valuable learning experience. "From that game, we had a lot of learnings and lessons we brought back," she noted, emphasizing the team's focus on improving their fitness and skills since then.
As they prepare to take on India's senior team, Maryam acknowledges the challenge ahead but remains optimistic. "We know that they are world-class batters and experienced players. Our thinking is to play the ball and take them seriously, but also to treat it as just another game of cricket," she stated.
Maryam's aspirations extend beyond personal achievements; she aims to inspire the next generation of female cricketers in Hong Kong. "I think it's a huge responsibility, and I see it as a privilege. I want to help create a stronger cricketing culture in Hong Kong," she expressed.
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