Motherhood is a blessing that is given by God to a woman. This blessing has the ability to bring about a paradigm shift in the lives of women. The body is not the same as it was before seeking this blessing. A woman after attaining motherhood goes through the ebbs and flows. Things change after a woman attains motherhood. Fighting their own battle are these women, who want to get back to work, which they love doing. In the world of women’s cricket too, there have been a few courageous women cricketers, who took the leap of faith and beat the odds to enjoy this blessing of motherhood and resume playing cricket. These women cricketers certainly raise the eyebrows of those aware of their passion and love for the game.
1. Bismah Maroof (Pakistan)
She is the captain of Pakistan women’s cricket team. She made her international debut in 2006 and since then has been a regular member of the squad. She has featured in more than 100 ODIs and in excess of 100 T20Is for Pakistan. She is a genuine all-rounder and her contributions with both bat and ball have been important for Pakistan’s success. She became a proud mother to a baby girl on August 30, 2021. She has resumed cricket after completing her maternity leave and will lead Pakistan in the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup in New Zealand starting from March 4, 2022.
2. Amy Satterthwaite (New Zealand)
The prolific batter from New Zealand announced her pregnancy in 2019 when she was enjoying her purple patch. She took maternity leave and after a year, she returned to playing international cricket. She made a solid comeback in September 2020 in a series against Australia. The southpaw was the leading run-getter for the White Ferns in ODIs as well as T20Is in that series.
3. Sarah Elliott (Australia)
The former Australian cricketer, who played international cricket between 2005 and 2014, has two sons and a daughter. The right-handed batter and right-arm leg spinner continued to play elite cricket, and work as a physiotherapist, even after the birth of her children. She played her first cricket match as a mother when Sam, her eldest kid, was just six weeks old. In 2013, she was a part of the Women’s Ashes squad, which made her the first mother to tour as a member of the Australian women’s cricket team. Her eldest kid was nine months then. She also scored her maiden Test century on that tour. In 2014, she gave birth to her second son, Jacob. She is one of the only three women cricketers to score a century after becoming a mother.
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4. Enid Bakewell (England)
This talented former England all-rounder made her international debut a couple of years after giving birth to a baby girl in 1966. She played for England between 1968 and 1982. She featured in 12 Tests and 23 ODIs. The right-handed batter mustered 1578 international runs. She bowled left-arm spin and accounted for 75 international wickets. She is one of the only two players in the history of women’s Test cricket to score a century and pick up 10 wickets in the same match. She is one of the only three women cricketers to score a century after becoming a mother. She played her last international match at the age of 42 and then continued playing for East Midlands into her 50s. She is also an ECB-qualified coach.
5. Nain Abidi (Pakistan)
Prior to attaining motherhood, she had played international cricket for Pakistan for 13 long years. She featured in 155 international matches for Pakistan, scored 2597 international runs, and accounted for a solitary wicket. She was at the peak of her career when she came to know about her pregnancy in 2019. After a two-year hiatus, she returned to cricket in 2021, this time not for Pakistan but for the USA, a country where she moved to with her husband.
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