Soumya Tiwari is an Indian cricketer who plays primarily as a batting all-rounder for the India U-19 women’s team. Soumya Tiwari, a right-handed batsman and right-arm off-spin bowler, was part of the Indian team that won the inaugural Women’s U-19 T20, beating England Women in the final World Cup.
Wiki/Biography
Soumya Manish Tiwari was born on Friday, March 11, 2005 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (age 18 in 2023). Her zodiac sign is Pisces. As of 2023, Soumya is pursuing her 12th grade course at St. Joseph’s Co-educational School, Bhopal. Soumya has been fond of sports since her childhood and she grew up playing cricket with thaapi thapki (wooden sticks used for washing clothes under the tap) and paper balls. Soumya, who lives in a joint family at their Shahjahanabad residence in Bhopal’s old city, used to watch cricket matches on television as a child. Soon the thaapi thapki was replaced by plastic bats and Soumya started playing mohalla cricket with the local boys. According to her father, Sumia would come home many times and complain about the boys who refused to let her join the team. Later, her family moved to Gautam Nagar in New Bhopal and Soumya started playing cricket at the ground there. After noticing her passion for the game, her sister took her to the Arela Cricket Academy at the Old Campion Stadium in Bhopal for coaching training. The academy’s cricket coach, Suresh Chainani, was wary of girls dropping out and refused to train Soumya. Soumya was disappointed by the coach’s rejection and cried for two days in a row. Then she went to the academy again and asked the coach to take her in. The coach eventually agreed to train her during the summer. Soumya was 11 years old at the time. The coach initially groomed Soumya as an off-spin player and then trained her to bat.
Soumya Tiwari during practice at Arela Cricket Academy
Meanwhile, the academy hosted an inter-club competition where Soumya had the opportunity to showcase her defensive abilities. She was outstanding in the game, making two catches in the game. Soumya trained at the academy with the boys for the first three years. Eventually, she caught the attention of the state selectors who included her in the Madhya Pradesh U-23 team at the age of 13.
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′3″
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
Parents and siblings
Soumya Tiwari’s father, Manish Tiwari, is a state government employee working as an election supervisor at the Bhopal collection point. Her father played in a local cricket league as a young man. Soumya’s mother Bharti Tiwari is a housewife. She has a sister, Sakshi Tiwari.
Soumya Towari and her family
cricket
domestic
Soumya Tiwari started playing for Madhya Pradesh women’s age-group cricket at the age of 13. Tiwari participated in the Bhopal senior selection trials before being selected for the state U19 team. Tiwari played her first cricket tournament in Gwalior. Soumya also captained the Madhya Pradesh U-16 women’s football team for a brief period. In 2020-2021, Soumya represented the Madhya Pradesh Women’s team in the Senior Challengers Championship. She has represented Madhya Pradesh U19 team in two challenge matches. In 2022, Soumya won the T20 domestic championship with the Madhya Pradesh U19 women’s team. She has captained the Madhya Pradesh U19 team in ZCA and Challenger Cup competitions.
International
In 2022, Soumya Tiwari was selected in the India A women’s quadrilateral series, which also includes India B, West Indies and Sri Lanka. Soumya is the only player from Madhya Pradesh to participate in the series. In 2023, Soumya was selected in the India U19 squad to represent India in the first Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup. She was named vice-captain of the team. She remained unbeaten with 28 off 15 balls against Sri Lanka in this tournament. In the semi-finals, Tiwari scored 22 points against New Zealand. In the final, chasing the target of 69 runs set by England, India’s opening batsmen Shefali Verma and Shweta Sehrawat lost their wickets early. Soumya scored the winning score for India and scored 24 points off 37 balls. Soumya teamed up with Gongadi Trisha to form a 46-run partnership.
India Women’s U-19 squad after winning the inaugural Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup
Favorites
Facts/Trivia
- In her spare time, Soumya enjoys sketching and painting. She also enjoys writing and keeps a personal diary recording everything she does on the cricket field.
- Soumya idolizes Indian cricketer Virat Kohli so much that her teammates often call her “Apni Virat” and “VK”. There are various posters of Virat in her room. Tiwari is also a big fan of Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana.
- In 2022, Soumya won the state’s best female cricketer award.
Soumya Tiwari wins award
- Soumya is very particular about her fitness and follows a strict workout regimen. She worked out for about 40 minutes before going to the court to play.
- Soumya’s coach Suresh Chanani recalled an old incident in an interview and said:
We were participating in an inter-club tournament and Soumya was the only girl in our team. We batted first and after the first inning, the organizers told us that the girl could not play in the game. I protested as they allowed it in the first place but after we batted I refused as Soumya was already famous as a spinner on the local circuit. She came to me and told me she would be absent because her team should not have been disqualified and they should have won. We won the game, but her team spirit told us about her love for winning. “
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education