At eight years old, Winifred Duraisingam started playing cricket on the streets with her brother and his friends— though they wouldn’t always let her play with them.
“Back then, when I started, there were no women playing cricket,” says Duraisingam, who desperately wanted to bat, but the boys said she couldn’t because she was a girl. Her uncle stepped in and put a rule in place that whoever took a wicket could go into bat. And then he taught her how to bowl; soon, she was consistently bowling everyone out.
“In the end, I said it’s okay, you all can bat, I will just bowl,” recalls Duraisingam. “And then they were all so scared of me, because [I was] a girl taking a boy’s wicket. That’s how my cricket started—out on the streets.”
Duraisingam started playing for a Malaysian club team at the age of 13, where in one tournament she bowled out Hector Durairatnam, the former captain of the Malaysia men’s national team. Approaching Duraisingam’s uncle, who was also the coach, after the game, Durairatnam enquired who the “young boy” who had bowled him out was. Her uncle replied, “That’s not a young boy; that’s my niece!” Durairatnam suggested she join the national pool and a year later she made her debut on the women’s national team.
Duraisingam’s first tournament at the age of 14 was the Asian Cricket Council’s (ACC) women’s tournament in Malaysia. It was 2007 and still early days for women’s cricket in Asia outside the Indian subcontinent, where the sport was more established. Eight teams were involved: Bangladesh, China, Singapore, the UAE, Nepal, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand. All, aside from full member Bangladesh, were and remain associate members of the International Cricket Council (ICC), indicating that cricket is well established in these places but the teams aren’t allowed to play official Test matches (limited to full members).
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE LAST WORD
Every issue, we ask our cover star a round of quickfire questions that give us a little more insight into their personalities. This month: Gulf Kanawut lays it bare
WOMEN AT THE WICKET
Asia's women's cricket teams from outside the Indian subcontinent have been rapidly rising up through the ranks, creating opportunities, breaking barriers and changing the game as they go
TIME TURNER
A 2024 Turner Prize nominee, British Filipino artist Pio Abad talks to Tatler about carrying on family legacy, unearthing historical connections and why the Philippines is always at the core of his work
ROYAL RICHES
Ahead of the opening of Prince and the Peacock, Black Sheep Restaurants' latest establishment, Tatler joins the hospitality group on a culinary pilgrimage to India
MAKING HER POINT
Foil fencer Daphne Chan is happy to see the rising interest in her sport since Cheung Ka-long's historic win, and is headed to the Games with impressive wins behind her. But she's not allowing the pressure to get to her, and is most excited about who she might meet in Paris
IN IT TO WIN IT
Hong Kong freestyle swimmer Ian Ho, whose Instagram handle @Amphlb_ian playfully alludes to his aquatic prowess, competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and won silver in the men's 50 metres freestyle at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. This month, he will represent Hong Kong at the Paris Olympics. He talks to Tatler about making Hong Kong proud, life as a student and professional athlete-and why relaxing is the way forward
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Two-time Olympic swimmer Camille Cheng thought Tokyo 2020 would be her last Games, but competing in Paris was too big a draw for the French Chinese athlete
INTRIGUE AND INTRICACIES
Parisian artist Ugo Gattoni takes us through his elaborately designed poster for the Olympics and Paralympics in his home city this month
Crafting a New Legacy
Nicholas Lieou, creative director of high jewellery at Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group, is reimagining jewellery, as the brand celebrates its 95th anniversary
A Lasting Legacy
Tatler explores Cartier's latest Watches and Wonders novelties with the maison's image, style and heritage director, who explains how the luxury house continues to create designs that are relevant today, yet rooted in legacy