The India U-19 girls created history by retaining the T20 World Cup after defeating South Africa in Kuala Lumpur. It was a dominant performance in every department of the game. In both World Cup wins, coach Nooshin Al Khadeer played a key role in guiding the team and keeping them focused.
In an exclusive chat with RevSportz, Nooshin spoke about the journey, the preparations, G Trisha’s outstanding all-round performance, Niki Prasad’s captaincy, her future as a coach, and much more.
Q: Winning a World Cup one time is a huge thing. But under your coaching and guidance, the girls have done it in back-to-back editions. How does it feel? How proud are you?
Honestly, I think the credit goes first to BCCI for having these high-performance camps which has led us to this victory. Because it has been a tireless work of 7-8 months. We started off with zonal camps, which is normal scheduling for BCCI, and from there, to handpick the girls and put them into a high-performance under-19 camp. Then, to have a specialised camp right before the tri-series where the 20 probables were announced.
How it has progressed to the World Cup has been a great journey. You could see this entire bunch working together time and again and that actually makes things very easier for us to work as a unit because it is more like a family. You know everything of each other.
So, credit goes to BCCI, and I would mention VVS Laxman Sir as well, to take the initiative of seeing us through and giving us these camps which is good for the young cricketers. Just to take it forward, I would say that to see them win the first one was special. Obviously, this one was important and special as well. Because, then it is an announcement that the youth in India is preparing well. And it is great for the future of cricket in India, at least in women’s cricket.
Q: Anything special that you have observed in this batch compared to the 2023? This batch was much more dominating compared to the previous one?
I think it is in the genes. The current generation, the one thing which stood out was their mental ability. Adaptation to conditions was important because it was quite challenging. We had the afternoon games at least the first half of the World Cup.
There were rains predicted, and for us to pull off victories to get those two points. Especially the first game against West Indies, the girls finishing it getting the 45 runs in 4.2 overs was commendable. So, it is just about how they have adapted to every situation has made this team very special.
Q: A word on Gongadi Trisha? What a tournament she had, especially with the ball in the later stages. Please, tell us about her unique action.
I have seen her as a kid because I had the privilege of coaching Hyderabad in the initial stages of my coaching. And I still remember that just because of her bowling action, I had insisted that HCA pick her as a bowler for the under-23s. And she was able to bowl 10 overs because she had this unique action. But coming on to her batting, Trisha has actually peaked at the right time for the under-19s.
She had a very low Tri-series where she was not able to adapt to the opportunities given to her. But honestly, I am telling you, credit goes to her mental ability of coming [down] really hard on herself and her preparation before the Asia Cup, where again she dominated. And then to continue that form and keep it going in the World Cup was great.
Also, I would say that at the back end, I think the support staff did not lose confidence with her. Because the whole idea for us to have Trisha opening the innings was that she could do that experienced role. She was a part of the last World Cup. So, what she could put on the table along with a young Kamalini was expected and she actually lived up to that.
Q: Niki Prasad, the leader – not much opportunity with the bat, but the way she led, a word on her?
Selfless. That is the only word I can say. She always put the team ahead of her. Niki Prasad knows each and everyone’s habits as players, which is very important for a captain. When, you are leading a side, you need to understand the frame of mind of every player. She has ticked all the boxes as a captain there. Off the field, she has gelled well. On the field, she had the command. She never demanded respect. She commanded respect. She has been a true leader for the under-19s.
Q: She will be in action for Delhi Capitals in WPL. Meg Lanning is there. So, do you expect that that will definitely help her to grow more as a leader?
Absolutely. It is just not Nikki. Even Kamalini is going to be a part of the Mumbai Indians. Shabnam [Shakeel] has already been sharing the dressing room with Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner. And now, young [VJ] Joshitha is going to be a part of the RCB camp. They are going to understand different routines. They are going to understand different habits of players, which is going to be great.
And they are going to take that back to their own dressing rooms, which is going to be a massive turnover for these players. So, honestly, WPL, after this World Cup, all these players are going to get a lot of respect once they get into the campaigns. I am sure that a captain like Meg Lanning is always going to understand why Niki Prasad has won an Under-19 World Cup. Because you can see that in that girl.
Q: First 10 overs of the semi-final against England were very tricky because the bowlers conceded a lot of runs compared to others’ matches. So, what was the message from the management as the bowlers made a remarkable comeback in the next 10 overs?
See, just not for the semi-finals, the message has been very clear that you need to go and express [yourselves] there. It is very important as players; you go and express there and that is what happened.
England had been an unknown squad for us. Some of the players were new and also the fact that it is a new ball, they are going to get a lot of runs. It was a flat deck to bat on.
And as the ball gets older, the game is going to swing towards us and that was exactly what happened. England was a well-prepared side and when you are playing the semi-finals, you need to expect something which is going to come hard at you. And that has been a message throughout to them, that there will be teams which will come hard at you.
But can we hold our nerves and keep things simple? So, the game plan was very clear that the ball is going to get older. It is going to be on our side. If we can just put that extra pressure, we will be through and I think they came off quite well.
Q: The spin bowling unit – Vaishnavi Sharma, Ayushi Shukla, Parunika Sisodia. All were superb throughout the tournament. How did they manage to be so consistent throughout the tournament?
Their roles have been very clear. Who is going to bowl when? Time and again, we have put them into the same roles whichever game we have played, whether it is a Tri-series or an Asia Cup or even practice.
So, when you are a well-prepared side, the players know what their roles are and they did exactly what they needed to do. Yes, I would give them a lot of credit for adapting quickly to the conditions. When you spend a lot of time with them, they do understand you and each other and that makes things very easy for us.
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Two-time Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup winning coach, Nooshin Al Khadeer shares the journey, preparations behind the World Cup win, players and much more!@NooshinKhadeer @snehasis_95 #U19WorldCup
Full Video link: https://t.co/PpduUDvLm0
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) February 7, 2025
Q: Both pacers, Joshitha VJ and Shabnam Shakil, were superb and set the platform for the spinners to engage. Do you believe that they are the future of Indian cricket going forward?
Too early for me to say that they are going to be. They are definitely there on par but I would not want to take the credit. Every time in power play, if you are expecting two wickets to happen, Joshitha was there. On the days Joshitha has really not worked for us, Shabnam has got us the breakthroughs.
They were confident enough when they got into the tournament. They knew that the wickets are not going to be that conducive for them, but they utilised the conditions quite well. There was slight swing in the air which they wanted. We knew that if the first four overs, they could swing the ball for us, it will be great. And after that, the spinners will come in.
I thought they hit the right lengths and the lines were great. See, in a T20 game, you need to expect a little bit of fireworks, but for them to come back stronger was great. So, it just shows how much resilience they have as fast bowlers. And I think there was a free hand given to them as well. It is okay because they are bowling the toughest overs of the game.
You have to make them understand that you guys are heroes because you are bowling the toughest overs. And they knew they were going to be backed for everything.
Q: Ishwari Awasare did not get much of opportunity. Very talented kid. What is your view and how do you see her going forward?
She is one of the most talented girls. Honestly, till Asia Cup, I was not aware of her age. When I got to know that she is 15, I was wondering what kind of cricketer she is. Absolute delight to watch in the nets. Excellent fielder.
Unfortunately, she did not get enough opportunity. But the way she fielded on the boundary line, the way she has taken catches! She took a brilliant catch in the final of the Asia Cup. She is mentally prepared to take up any role for the team. So, she has got a great future. Bats well. Fields well. She can roll her arm over a bit with her leg-spin, which is going to get better as she grows older.
Q: This team was superb in the field, whether it was ground fielding or catching. How much importance was given to this aspect?
Like how we had role clarity about batting and bowling, the fielders also knew. So, once they were on the ground, they knew exactly where they needed to stand for which bowler.
And over a period of seven months, it was the trainer and the physio who had been monitoring them, working on their fitness levels, taking care of their injuries. So, it is all hand in hand. The staff has worked together.
It is a young unit. There was an increase in the number of fielding sessions in the camps. And the coaches actually realised this unit wants to do more fielding. The younger generation want to dive around, they want to take those brilliant catches. And thanks to the awareness that WPL has created. They are watching the men’s game or our senior women. The World Cup – they would have watched very closely how the foreign countries are.
Indians have taken some fantastic catches, like Jemimah Rodrigues and Radha Yadav. These guys have been role models as a fielding unit. So, for these kids, when they know that people are watching them, they want to throw themselves around. Fielding is one aspect which we have not neglected at all. We knew how important it was, because on a given day, saving 10 runs is always a win, at least for a T20 game.
Q: The way India dominated, there was always a chance of getting complacent. So, how did you manage to keep them focussed ahead of the final?
So, the first message was that we as a team are not going to be complacent. Second thing is that we were aware of the fact that the middle order was not getting the kind of exposure. So, we ensured that we have not missed any practice sessions. Just to give these guys enough practice time, so that if the game demands the next day, they are game ready.
We had the resources there as net bowlers. In this entire thing, we had a couple of days’ break. There was training, there was the intent that the job is only done when we lift the trophy. Not before that.
Although we used to have evening games and the next day morning, we had practice, they were ready there. I think the dedication was top-class, top-notch by this team. They handled it quite well. They knew they were there on a task and they wanted to accomplish that.
Q: You have been so successful as a coach, be it domestic cricket or the U-19 setup. What has been the philosophy of yours that has worked so well?
I always feel that what you are off the field is what you are on the field. Each player is very special. You just have to get the best out and accept it. The first thing is acceptance. You are going to have 15 different players, you have to accept all of them the way they are. I have kept things very simple as a coach. For me, the key is communication.
I have to communicate to the players no matter what it is. If you have very clear communication, people know what is happening. There is nothing to hide. It is a team, it is a family. Each one of us deserve to know what is going to happen. The communication is a key role as a coach for me.
I think I am somebody who enjoys life. I do get serious when it is a practice session. Once we are off the ground, the girls need to unwind. They need to enjoy. It is a mixture of both. I probably have a good balance between these two.
Q: What is next for you as a coach?
As of now, I am at home and I am attending office regularly. I landed on the 4th, and on the 5th, I was back to work. This is me. This is Nooshin. I do not rest. If I am not on the ground, if I am not in a camp, I am always in the railway office working.
Also Read: Coach says this is just the start for Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup star Trisha