Siliguri girl Richa Ghosh has made it to the Indian women’s squad for the upcoming ICC Women's World Cup ODI championship that will be held in New Zealand in March this year.

“It is important for me now to retain my fitness and continue with my practice. The surge in Covid-19 cases has made the task tougher as I can’t move to Calcutta immediately. In my city (Siliguri), we don’t have a proper ground and infrastructure for practice,” Richa told The Telegraph after her selection.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the squad for the upcoming women’s world cup, along with a T20 and five ODI matches that the Indians will play against the Kiwis.

Richa has been selected in all squads. “Earlier, when I was selected in the ODI team for Australia, I was determined to do well. My target was to get selected in the women’s world cup team and now, the good news has finally come,” she added.

In September last year, she was the only wicketkeeper-batter of the team in all three ODIs played against Australia.

Richa scored 32 not out and 44 in the series and also kept well behind the wickets throughout the series. Her performance helped her to get a contract to play for Hobart Hurricanes of Australia that plays the Women's Big Bash League.

Manoj Verma, the cricket secretary of Siliguri Mahakuma Krira Parishad, the subdivisional sports body of Siliguri, called Richa’s selection well-deserved.

“She had been performing consistently in all forms of cricket for the past couple of years. It is indeed an achievement for her to find a berth in the world cup team and a matter of pride for Siliguri,” he said.