New Delhi: Archana Devi, a 19-year-old girl who hails from Ratai Purwa, a small village in Unnao district of UP, is currently in for the Indian Women’s U-19 World Cup squad. She has been a part of India’s journey to the finals of the U-19 Women’s World Cup, which is to be played today between India and England.
Glimpses from the special ceremony conducted by #KanpurCricketAssociation to felicitate #ArchanaDevi, the much talked about young woman cricketer from #Kanpur whose selection in India A squad for the Under-19 #WorldCup has really made Kanpur proud!#Cricket #CricketKanpur pic.twitter.com/7OvhZXTgSB
— Dr. Sanjay Kapoor, AICF President (@SnjKpr) December 11, 2022
Coming from a very humble background, it was not easy for Archana to make it to the India’s women’s U-19 squad.
Archana’s father left the world when she was a very young age, and unfortunately, her younger brother died in 2017 due to a snake bite. The situation became worse for her as there was no one else but her mother, who was the only earner left in her family.
As it is said, “When the going gets tough, the tough keep going,” it was cricket that kept flowing in Archana’s veins, and that is what made it possible for her to reach the Indian Cricket Team.
Kapil Dev Pandey, Archana’s childhood coach, said, “Archana grew up in a dingy mudhouse in the Jhopadpatti of the river Ganga.” She had gone through a lot of hardship to get to where she is now.
“We rented a place nearby, so that she does not have to commute daily from her village.” With the help of a few friends and then the Kanpur Cricket Association, her daily ration was also taken care of. We waived the coaching fee, while for the cricket gear, we approached Kuldeep for help. “He was already an established cricketer, so he would send everything that she needed,” he added.
Archana played in this World Cup against Australia, in which she came not out after scoring 1 run in 2 balls. Archana Devi’s inspiring story is a motivation for all the athletes who are struggling to achieve their dreams.
