Nooshin has seen some bright groups of players make the big stage their own and feels each incoming generation is only raising the bar higher. | Photo Credit: RAJDEEP SAHA

The India U-19 women’s team sealed a fairly comfortable 3-0 whitewash over Sri Lanka U-19 with a lap of honour around the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, as a mark of gratitude to the 500-odd spectators who raucously cheered their every move this past week.

Watching on from a distance was head coach Nooshin Al Khadeer who has made successes, big and small, something of a habit.

Since taking over the U-19 setup in 2022, Nooshin has led India to two T20 World Cup crowns and will eye a hattrick when the third edition gets underway early next year.

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Speaking about preparations ahead of the marquee tournament, Nooshin revealed that the first steps were taken during the annual Zonal camps held in April-May.

“These camps are part of the calendar. Usually, they’re at different venues, but we were lucky to have this year’s camp at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. It helped us identify and mould the skills these girls have,” she told Sportstar after India’s final Youth T20 fixture here on Saturday.

The Indian side had begun the T20 series with a dominant 93-run win, followed by a nervy 11-run victory where Sri Lanka gave a better account of itself. This is also the first-ever bilateral series for the U-19 team, something that Nooshin felt it ‘deserves’ after winning two World Cups.

This was the first preparatory assignment for this group. Nooshin and the selectors will keep close tabs on the upcoming domestic season, which starts with the U-19 T20 Trophy Elite on October 9, and assignments like the tour of England and the proposed Asia Cup to firm up the World Cup squad for the 2027 edition.

“I wouldn’t want to count my chickens before they hatch. I think this series gives them an opportunity to understand where they stand and what they need to work on because it’s almost like an examination. It will give them that self-reflection to understand what needs to go for the next three months, and then to have a great domestic season,” she explained.

‘I’m doing what I love’

Being responsible for coaching players who are at such impressionable ages comes with its own pressures. But this is what Nooshin always wanted to do, even if it means she flies under the radar most times.

“Even as a player when I called time on my career, I knew I would probably want to build the grassroots level. I’m doing what I love. It’s never a pressure, it’s a privilege. To see the likes of Kamalini and Titas (Sadhu) come through, and a lot of them playing for India A, it’s great. Also, I’m not too crazy about the limelight. It’s always better to be the behind-the-scenes person because ultimately, these players are the ones who are going to steal the show, and that’s what we’re looking for,” she smiled.

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Nooshin has seen some bright groups of players make the big stage their own. In the inaugural edition of the U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023, the squad comprised names like Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh, both of whom are playing in the ongoing T20 World Cup in England. In the following edition, the likes of Niki Prasad, Kamalini, and Vaishnavi Sharma were discovered. The coach believes that each incoming generation is raising the bar higher.

“Unfortunately the first batch was a COVID one. There was not much cricket happening then, but they were great, very skillful. The second batch was smarter. These guys are amazing. I mean, less work for us. We are lucky. And the ultimate goal is to build a great bench and reach a point where we can push in two Indian teams coming in, and that’s going to happen. I think the roadmap is on,” a confident Nooshin signed off.

Published on Jun 27, 2026