Father ran a tea stall to help Ekta Bisht realise her dream of playing for India

Staring down the barrel in their group stage World Cup match after being bundled out for 169, Team India needed a miraculous effort from their bowlers to maintain a clean slate against arch-rivals Pakistan. Ekta Bisht, the 31-year-old left arm spinner, then rose to the occasion, spinning a web around the Pakistani batters by picking three wickets in quick succession, and five in total, to hand India their 10th win in as many ODIs against Pakistan.

While accolades have been pouring in for the Almora-born girl, and there is an atmosphere of celebration in the Bisht family, life hasn’t been always been this kind to them.

Kundan Singh Bisht, a retired havaldar in the Indian Army, was compelled to sell tea to help his daughter realise her dream of representing the nation.

Realising that his meagre pension of Rs. 1,500 (at that time) wasn’t enough to sustain his family of five, Bisht, who retired from the army in 1988, continued to do the menial job for close to a decade.

Bisht first picked up a bat and ball at the age of six, playing with the boys in her locality, a drill that drew audiences, she being the only girl in the group. Her father admitted that finances receded as Bisht progressed, but never for once did he doubt his daughter’s abilities.

"Ekta started playing cricket when she was just six. From then on, her love for the sport only grew. We were sure that she would do the country proud and she has done just that since she joined the national team in 2011."

Another setback came when she wasn’t selected for the national side, even though she captained the Uttarakhand team in 2006 and played for UP from 2007-2010. Her coach, Liyakat Khan, told The Times of India that Bisht became really disheartened, but his backing, along with the family’s continued support, motivated the youngster to soldier on.

“Her talent allowed her to surpass many difficulties, including the fact there was not even a proper stadium in Almora for her to train," Khan said.

She eventually made her ODI debut against Australia exactly six years before her five-for against Pakistan. Three years later, she played her first, and only Test, for India.

As sponsorship deals came through, Ekta and her family’s financial condition stabilised. Later, Kundan Singh’s pension also increased, which meant that he no longer had to man the tea stall.

Now the toast of the nation, Ekta can look back at her troubled past and smile. Her father’s valiant efforts to support her child didn’t go waste, for she has made her family, and the entire country, extremely proud.