Forget the batsman-dominated narrative of T20s – Ekta Bisht’s story flips the script. From her birthplace in Almora, Uttarakhand, on February 8, 1986, she started bowling at six, battling societal barriers by playing with boys in a male-centric sporting culture.
Her global debut came on June 23, 2011, in a T20I versus Australia, after shining for Uttar Pradesh domestically. ODIs and Tests followed in quick succession. The pinnacle? October 3, 2012, during the Women’s T20 World Cup against Sri Lanka. Bisht’s hat-trick demolished the opposition, crowning her as the first Indian cricketer to snag one in T20Is, well ahead of the men’s team milestone by Deepak Chahar.
A stalwart left-arm spinner, her ledger reads: one Test with 3 wickets, 63 ODIs yielding 98 dismissals, and 42 T20Is with 53. She was instrumental in India’s 2017 ODI World Cup final appearance, notably dismantling Pakistan with five wickets. In 2024, Royal Challengers Bangalore signed her for the Women’s Premier League, proving her relevance persists.
Turning 40 soon, Bisht hasn’t hung up her boots officially, though international action paused after February 18, 2022. Active in leagues, she serves as a beacon for aspiring women cricketers, her legacy a testament to grit and groundbreaking achievements.