JOIN USTalent alone cannot guarantee a triumphant story. Not when your father is struggling to make ends meet as an auto driver.
Nagma Sharieff was an aspiring fast bowler three years ago. In the bylanes around her house in RT Nagar, she would bowl to her elder brother Fazulla. As she gave it her all every day, Nagma hoped for better training and a touch of luck.
Rahman, her father, had two roads to take. Either nip his daughter’s ambitions in the bud or believe in her dream. Thankfully for the then 12-year-old Nagma, he chose the latter option.
A visit to Karnataka Institute of Cricket (KIOC) was the beginning of good things. Impressed with their skills, KIOC enrolled Fazulla with a concession while Nagma joined for free.
Fast forward three years and Nagma has repaid the faith of her backers by earning a place in the Karnataka girls’ U-16 squad. The 16-year-old was part of the team that won their maiden U-16 South Zone Championship in Puducherry earlier this year.
“I always felt I had the strength to bowl fast. I might be a girl but I could generate pace. So I was very interested in fast bowling,” says Nagma, an eighth standard student of RT Nagar Iqra School.
Nagma’s initial success has brought smiles to the family. Rahman, who stuck a note in his auto seeking financial help, is happy with the response from the public. But the road ahead is still tough, he feels.
“Nagma had to stop her education for a year to focus completely on the U-16 selection. But they are ready to balance education and sports. There came a phase in life when we had no clue about our future. Things have changed for the better but we still require financial support,” he says.
Irfan Sait, head coach at the KIOC, was happy with the interest shown by Nagma early on.
“She was ahead of many other players in the academy. Nagma was very athletic. She was a bit self-conscious when she started. She wasn’t forthcoming and was intimidated by players who came from privileged backgrounds. We had to talk to her about this and ask her to perform with a free mind. Once she was able to break this mental barrier, she was able to be more effective,” he explains.