When the WPL mini-auction, held earlier this month, ended, one Simran Shaikh stood tallest. The Mumbai batter grabbed headlines as Gujarat Giants bid ₹1.90 crore to get her services.

But who is Simran Shaikh? Hailing from Dharavi in Mumbai, she is an attacking batter who has been doing decently in the domestic circuit.

Women’s cricket in India has been making steady progress, with stars like Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur gaining name and fame with their craft. Simran is still some distance away from that elite league, but she has already covered miles to be where she is today.

Simran’s journey has been like a dream, though there were enough nightmares which threatened to pull her down every now and then.

“As a child, I would plead with boys to let me play cricket with them. They always said I was too small and might get hurt, but I never gave up,” the 22-year-old said recalling her early challenges.

Not just for Simran, it was an uphill climb for her parents, Javed and Akhtari Shaikh, too.

“Simran was very young when she started playing cricket with the boys in the narrow lanes. Sometimes she would go to play at the nearby ground after school. I never really cared until complaints started pouring in about broken windowpanes with Simran being the culprit,” Javed said. “While I was careful to tell her not to repeat her mistake, I also realised her love for the sport and decided to support her,” he added.

But supporting her to play cricket in a society which is still burdened with stereotypes was not easy.

“For a girl to play cricket in our community is not a common trend and, as in any society, our daughter was also seen differently. People made unpleasant remarks, often chiding us directly for trying to be unconventional. But with us, there was no pretence. We just wanted to fulfil our daughter’s dreams. She wanted to play cricket, and we felt she should pursue it,” said Akhtari.

So how did Javed and Akhtari shield and prepare Simran for the tough road ahead? Both of them used to wake up at 5am as Simran used to leave very early for her training. “People in Dharavi don’t wake up early. But we decided that if we were stepping out to support her, we shall go all out,” Javed said.

“We knew how hard Simran was working. Why should we listen to others at the cost of our child?” Javed reasoned.

Simran’s first WPL experience in 2021 with UP Warriors was marked by nervousness and underperformance. “It was overwhelming. I had never imagined playing in stadiums. The pressure got to me, and I couldn’t perform. It was a tough phase,” she said.

But she did not give up. She worked on her game, returned to form in MCA matches, and caught the attention of Gujarat Giants. “When the bidding crossed ₹1 crore, I was speechless. It felt like all my hard work was being recognised.”

Dharavi often writes tales of grit and passion overcoming societal obstacles. Simran has added a new chapter to it. She dreams and wants Dharavi to dream with her.

“I want girls in Dharavi to dream big and pursue their passions.”