Sita Rana Magar Explained

Sita Rana Magar should not be confused with Sarita Magar.

Sita Rana Magar
Female:true
Country:Nepal
Fullname:Sita Rana Magar
Birth Date:5 March 1992
Birth Place:Nepal
Batting:Left-handed
Bowling:Left-arm medium-fast
International:true
T20idebutdate:12 January
T20idebutyear:2019
T20idebutagainst:China
T20icap:6
Lastt20idate:22 August
Lastt20iyear:2023
Lastt20iagainst:Hong Kong
Columns:1
Column1:T20I
Matches1:36
Runs1:593
Bat Avg1:20.44
100S/50S1:0/1
Top Score1:82
Deliveries1:665
Wickets1:40
Bowl Avg1:11.55
Fivefor1:1
Tenfor1:0
Best Bowling1:5/16
Catches/Stumpings1:13/0
Date:27 November 2022
Source:https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/sita-rana-magar-486890 Cricinfo
Module:
Titlestyle:background-color: lightsteelblue;
Expand:yes

Sita Rana Magar (Nepali: सीता राना मगर; born 5 March 1992) is a Nepali cricketer who plays for the women's national cricket team as a left-handed batting all-rounder. She has also been the vice captain of the team.

Early life and education

Magar was raised in Nepalgunj, a sub-metropolitan city in Banke District, on the Terai plains.[1] From a young age, she was a "complete sports fanatic", always involved in some sport or another at school.[2]

At first, football was Magar's favourite sport, and she dreamed of becoming a footballer.[2] [3] Then, when she was a 13 year old 7th-grader, women's cricket was introduced to Nepal, and her teachers encouraged her to take up the game,[2] particularly as she had the advantage of being left-handed.[4]

Magar started out as a member of her school cricket team. She was then selected for the Nepalgunj regional team. Eventually, when she participated in Nepal's first ever women's cricket tournament, she emerged as the leading bowler.[2]

At that time, according to Magar, playing women's cricket in Nepal was a huge challenge. There were no training centres, and due to social pressure, Nepali girls rarely wished to take up cricket.[2] Although Magar's mother was always very supportive of her cricketing activities, her father was initially reluctant.[3] As Magar explained to All Over Cricket in 2022:

Magar's father also initially believed that a woman could not make a living out of playing sports.[4] However, Magar was soon recognised in her neighbourhood for her cricketing skill and achievements, and people started referring to her father as 'Sita's father'. That led him to change his stance.[3] [4]

Magar's cricketing role model is Gyanendra Malla, a former captain of the Nepal men's cricket team.[1]

Domestic career

Prior to the late 2010s, there was not very much top level domestic cricket in Nepal, as the country did not have a well-planned domestic structure for the women's game.[5] [6] On Magar's own account, the biggest issue in women's cricket in Nepal has been the lack of domestic tournaments.[2]

In 2018, Magar played for the championship-winning Armed Police Force (APF) team in that year's Prime Minister Cup Women's National Tournament. During that tournament, she topped her team's averages, with an average of 85 and a top score of 44 from five innings, in four of which she was unbeaten.[7] Importantly, she was also one of the unbeaten pair of top scorers for her team in the final.[8]

The following year, 2019, Magar was selected as the marquee player of Dhangadhi Wonder Women, which was to have been one of four teams competing in an NCL Women's T20 Cricket League tournament later that year.[9] [10] However, the tournament was postponed twice and did not go ahead.[11]

A replacement tournament, the Women's Champions League, was organised for October 2019.[12] [13] Magar was appointed as captain and marquee player of Pokhara Paltan,[13] [14] [15] one of the five teams competing in the tournament.[16] Magar played well during that tournament,[17] [18] [19] in particular by scoring 65* in 56 balls in her team's third match, against Chitwan Rhinos,[20] but the team was eliminated after losing all three of its matches.[20]

On 3 January 2021, Magar captained the beaten runner-up APF team in the final of the 2020 Prime Minister Cup Women's National Tournament,[21] [22] which attracted the largest number of attendees ever at a women's cricket match in Nepal.[23] Her team-leading bowling figures, of 3/17, were not enough to prevent the Province No. 1 team from winning, by just 6 runs.[21] In the final of the next PM Cup Women's tournament, held on 26 December 2021, she again captained the APF team, this time to victory by 7 wickets.[24]

International career

2007–13: Early days for Magar and Nepal

Magar made her international debut on 12 July 2007, as part of the first-ever Nepali women's national cricket team, in the team's first ever match, against Thailand, at the 2007 ACC Women's Tournament in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.[25] Two days later, in the team's gripping second match, against Malaysia, she was the not out batter when Nepal lost its tenth wicket with the scores tied.[26] The Nepali players then achieved a shock seven wicket victory over Hong Kong to secure a place for Nepal in the final,[27] in which their team finished as runner-up to Bangladesh.[28]

Even after Magar had begun playing the game internationally, she was not as enthusiastic about cricket as she was about football.[3] Only after about three years playing in international matches, and in particular as a member of Nepal's back-to-back ACC U-19 Women's Championship-winning teams in 2008[29] and 2010,[30] did she start taking cricket more seriously.[3]

Magar then played for the national team at the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, in November 2010,[31] at the 2011 ACC Women's Twenty20 Championship in Kuwait in February 2011,[32] and at the 2012 ACC Women's Twenty20 Asia Cup in Guangzhou, China, in October 2012.[33]

In Magar's and the team's next tournament, the 2013 ACC Women's Championship, held in January 2013 in a 25-overs a side format in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, Magar top scored with 46 in 48 balls against the United Arab Emirates,[34] the highest score yet for Nepal's women in an international match.[35] The team ended up winning all four of its group stage matches,[36] but was then eliminated by Thailand in the first semi-final.[37]

2014–18: Progress but then turmoil

In February 2014, Magar played in the 40-over a side 2014 ACC Women's Premier tournament in Chiang Mai, Thailand. In Nepal's first match of the tournament, against Iran, she scored 72 from 94 balls, took 4/5, and was player of the match, which Nepal won by 221 runs.[38] Her score was the highest yet for Nepal's women, as was her 107 run partnership with Sarita Magar for the second wicket, and her 10 fours was the most scored for the team to that date, in an innings by an individual.[35] The team's total of 284/6 was the highest ever at an ACC women's tournament, as was its winning margin of runs.[35]

A report of the match praised Magar's "impressive timing and placement" while batting, and described her as "... the classiest batter in the Nepali side and ... very strong on the leg-side."[38] However, Nepal won only one other match in the tournament, against Bhutan,[39] and finished in fourth position.[40]

Later that year, Magar took the field in the women's T20 tournament at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. In Nepal's second match, against Malaysia, she scored 18 from 41 balls to make a significant contribution to the team's 46 run victory.[41] In the fourth quarter final, against Bangladesh, she took 2/24, and a catch, but Nepal was then eliminated after a poor batting performance.[42]

Meanwhile, cricket in Nepal was undergoing off-field turmoil. In November 2014, the Nepali government dissolved the committee of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) and replaced it with an ad hoc committee on an interim basis.[43] In April 2016, the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended CAN's membership of the ICC because of the government's interference in CAN's board.[44] Although the ICC also decided that Nepal teams could continue to compete in ICC events, an important effect of the suspension of CAN was that ICC funding to cricket in Nepal was cut off.[44] Magar has since said that an additional effect of the suspension was weak management of cricket in Nepal, including communication problems.[2]

In November/December 2016, Magar played in the 2016 Women's Twenty20 Asia Cup, held in Bangkok, Thailand. In Nepal's match against Bangladesh, she top scored for her team with 15 in 14 balls, but none of her teammates reached double figures, and Nepal lost the match by 92 runs.[45] After losing all of its other matches, and finishing last, in that tournament,[46] Nepal did not participate in the next Asia Cup, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in June 2018.[47]

2019–present: Nepal's WT20I era

On 12 January 2019, Magar made her WT20I debut for Nepal in the team's first ever WT20I, against China in the Thailand Women's T20 Smash tournament in Bangkok, Thailand. Nepal won that match, by 10 wickets.[48] Two days later, against the United Arab Emirates, Magar top scored with 37 from 35 balls and was named as player of the match.[49] Then, in the first semi-final, against Indonesia, she again top scored, with 48 from 62 balls. Although that was the highest individual score yet recorded for Nepal in a WT20I,[50] Magar was pipped for player of the match by her captain, Rubina Chhetry, who took 4/2 during Indonesia's innings.[51] Nepal won that match by 92 runs,[51] its highest winning WT20I margin to date by number of runs,[50] but lost the ensuing final to Thailand by 70 runs.[52]

The following month, Magar was player of the tournament in the 2019 ICC Women's Qualifier Asia, also in Bangkok, Thailand.[53] The event was an Asia region qualifier for the 2019 ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier as well as the 2020 Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier, with the winner progressing to both of the further Qualifier tournaments.[54] Magar's top score for the tournament was a player of the match-winning 42 against Malaysia,[55] [56] and her best bowling performance, 3/19 against China, was another player of the match-winner.[55] [57] Nepal finished the tournament as runner-up to Thailand.[58]

In late 2019, the ICC lifted its suspension of CAN's ICC membership.[59] By then, CAN had appointed Nepal's first ever dedicated women's national team coach, who had arranged for the men's team's physical trainer also to support the women's team. "In my 15-year-long career, I had never known the impact a physical trainer could have on a player's life," Magar told The Annapurna Express.[4]

In September 2020, CAN announced its first award of central contracts for female players. Magar was one of six women contracted as grade "A" players.[60]

In mid-November 2021, Magar starred in a three match bilateral series between Nepal and Qatar in Doha, Qatar. In the first match, she scored 39 in 33 balls,[55] [61] but lost her record for Nepal's highest WT20I score to Indu Barma, who made 55.[50] Nepal won the match by 119 runs, the team's largest WT20I winning margin yet by number of runs.[50] After being rested for the second match, Magar promptly returned to the head of Nepal's WT20I top scoring table, by making a player of the match-winning 82* in the third match.[55] [62] [63] Nepal won the series 3–0.[63]

The following week, Magar was player of the tournament in the 2021 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier, held in the United Arab Emirates.[64] In Nepal's first match, against Hong Kong, she top scored for her team with 40* in 58 balls, but Hong Kong won the match by six wickets.[65] In her team's next match, against Bhutan, she took a player of the match-winning 3/10 in Nepal's eight wicket victory.[66] Three days later, against Malaysia, she was again player of the match, with 30 in 38 balls and 1/16.[67] Nepal finished the Qualifier in third place, with three wins from five matches.[68]

In the first half of May 2022, Magar played seven matches for the tournament-winning Tornadoes team at the privately run 2022 FairBreak Invitational T20 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[69] Her best batting performance was only 18* in the round robin match against the Falcons team, and best bowling figures were a modest 1/18 in the second semi-final against the Barmy Army team.[55] However, she also caused a stir by making a distinctive hand gesture underneath her face to celebrate each of the wickets she took. The gesture, dubbed the "Pushpa" in honour of an Indian film, , had previously been used by Indian men's team captain Virat Kohli.[1]

While preparing for the final of that tournament, Magar found out, from a media report, that she had been replaced as vice captain of the Nepal team.[3] Nevertheless, she returned to Nepal immediately after the final, to play in the last four matches of a five-match bilateral WT20I series against Uganda, at Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Nepal.[70] Uganda won the series 3–2;[70] Magar's best performance was 17 in 24 balls and 2/15 in the final match,[55] which Nepal won by 33 runs.[71]

Off the field

Professional life

Magar works as a police officer for Nepal's Armed Police Force (APF). She was appointed to that role on the strength of her cricketing skills.[1] The APF employs more than 500 players of various sports. As a general rule, it gives priority to sports, but at times its employees are asked also to focus on national security.[2]

Personal life

Magar's husband is supportive of her sporting activities. A former boxer with an elder sister and brother who are boxers, he does all the housework when Magar is practising, and cooks when she is training. He has also told her that they can have a baby when she is done with her cricketing career.[3]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Radley . Paul . Big hand for Nepal spinner as Tornadoes beat Sapphires at FairBreak Invitational . 28 May 2022 . . 5 May 2022 . en.
  2. Web site: Shah . Anvesha . Interview with Sita Rana Magar - Nepal Women's Cricket Team Player . Female Cricket . 28 May 2022 . 16 December 2018.
  3. Web site: Dansinghani . Jay . Sita Rana Magar: Her origins, journey, and struggle . All Over Cricket . 28 May 2022 . en . 27 May 2022.
  4. News: Acharya . Paridhi . Struggles of Nepali women cricketers . 1 June 2022 . . 29 September 2019 . en.
  5. Web site: Yadav . Vishal . Interview with Rubina Chhetri – Captain of Nepal Women's Cricket Team . Female Cricket . 29 May 2022 . 7 August 2017.
  6. Web site: Yadav . Vishal . Female Cricket Interviews Rubina Chhetri – Captain of Nepal Women's National Cricket team . Female Cricket . 29 May 2022 . 8 January 2019.
  7. Web site: Prime Minister Cup Women's National Cricket Tournament, 2020/21 - Armed Police Force Women Cricket Team Records & Stats ESPNcricinfo.com . ESPNcricinfo . 29 May 2022.
  8. News: Rijal . Prahlad . APF clinch PM Cup Women's National Cricket title . 30 April 2022 . The Himalayan Times . 25 February 2018.
  9. News: Dhakal . Adarsha . Marquees, team owners unveiled for Women\'s Twenty20 Cricket League . 29 May 2022 . . 19 March 2019 . English.
  10. News: 'Asia's first' women's T20 league postponed for late April; marquees announced . 27 April 2022 . . 19 March 2019 . en.
  11. News: NCL Women's T20 league postponed again . 29 May 2022 . myRepública . 1 May 2019 . en.
  12. Web site: Women's Champions League Twenty20 Cricket Tournament, Women's Champions League 2019/20 score, Match schedules, fixtures, points table, results, news . ESPNcricinfo . 29 May 2022.
  13. Web site: 55 women cricketers drafted in historic WCL event . Momocricket . 29 May 2022 . en . 14 May 2019.
  14. News: Pokhrel . Nishant . Marquee players unveil trophy . 29 May 2022 . The Himalayan Times . 16 October 2019 . en.
  15. Web site: Pokhara Paltan Women cricket team News, Fixtures, Results & Squads . cricnepal.com . 29 May 2022.
  16. Web site: Chitwan Rhinos defeats Kat Queens Kathmandu to win the first edition of Women's Champions League in Nepal . Female Cricket . 29 April 2022 . 26 October 2019.
  17. News: Pokhrel . Nishant . Queens bounce back; Titans triumph . 29 April 2022 . The Himalayan Times . 18 October 2019 . en.
  18. News: Kat Queens, Biratnagar Titans register wins . 29 April 2022 . The Kathmandu Post . 18 October 2019 . en.
  19. News: Pokhrel . Nishant . Rhinos thrash Falcons; Titans record victory against Paltan . 29 May 2022 . The Himalayan Times . 19 October 2019 . en.
  20. News: Pokhrel . Nishant . Chitwan Rhinos make it three in a row . 29 May 2022 . The Himalayan Times . 20 October 2019 . en.
  21. News: Full Scorecard of PROV-1 Women vs APF Women Final 2020/21 - Score Report . 30 April 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.
  22. Web site: Pandit . Dipesh . 'Province One' crowned champions of Nepal's PM Cup Women's National Cricket Tournament . Emerging Cricket . 30 April 2022 . 6 January 2021.
  23. Web site: Pandit . Dipesh . PM Cup an opportunity for women's cricket in Nepal . Emerging Cricket . 30 April 2022 . 12 January 2021.
  24. News: Full Scorecard of PROV-1 Women vs APF Women Final 2021/22 - Score Report . 29 May 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.
  25. Web site: Nepal peak over Thailand . . 31 May 2022 . 12 July 2007.
  26. Web site: Malaysia ties with Nepal . Asian Cricket Council . 31 May 2022 . 14 July 2007.
  27. Web site: Nepal shock Hong Kong . Asian Cricket Council . 31 May 2022 . 15 July 2007.
  28. Web site: Bangladesh women win . Asian Cricket Council . 31 May 2022 . 18 July 2007.
  29. Web site: Nepal nail it . Asian Cricket Council . 31 May 2022 . 23 December 2008.
  30. Web site: Nepal defend their title . Asian Cricket Council . 31 May 2022 . 12 October 2010.
  31. Web site: Asian Games 2010 - NEPAL Women . Asian Cricket Council . 31 May 2022.
  32. Web site: ACC Women's Twenty20 Championship 2011 - NEPAL . Asian Cricket Council . 31 May 2022.
  33. Web site: ACC Women's Twenty20 Asia Cup 2012 - NEPAL . Asian Cricket Council . 31 May 2022.
  34. News: ACC Women's Championship 2013: Nepal Women v UAE Women . 31 May 2022 . Asian Cricket Council . 25 January 2013.
  35. Web site: Staff writer . Nepali Women Shatter Records on Day-I . Cricket Nepal . 1 June 2022 . 12 February 2014.
  36. Web site: Lockwood . Richard . Thailand face Nepal in semi-finals . Asian Cricket Council . 31 May 2022 . 30 January 2013.
  37. Web site: Lockwood . Richard . SF1: Thailand v Nepal . Asian Cricket Council . 31 May 2022 . 31 January 2013.
  38. Web site: Nepal win by 221 . Asian Cricket Council . 1 June 2022 . 11 February 2014.
  39. Web site: Nepal on the climb . Asian Cricket Council . 1 June 2022 . 14 February 2014.
  40. Web site: Hong Kong cruise . Asian Cricket Council . 1 June 2022 . 17 February 2014.
  41. News: Full Scorecard of Nepal Women vs Mal Women 5th Match, Group D 2014/15 - Score Report . 1 June 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.
  42. News: Full Scorecard of Bdesh Wmn vs Nepal Women 4th Quarter-Final 2014/15 - Score Report . 1 June 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.
  43. News: Govt dissolves CAN . 1 June 2022 . . 6 November 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141106161235/http://www.ekantipur.com/2014/11/06/top-story/govt-dissolves-can/397317.html . 6 November 2014 . en.
  44. Web site: ESPNcricinfo staff . ICC suspends Cricket Association of Nepal . ESPNcricinfo . 1 June 2022 . 26 April 2016.
  45. News: Full Scorecard of Bdesh Wmn vs Nepal Women 8th Match 2016/17 - Score Report . 1 June 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.
  46. Web site: ACC Women's T20 Asia Cup 2016/17 Table, Matches, win, loss, points for ACC Women's T20 Asia Cup . ESPNcricinfo . 1 June 2022.
  47. Web site: No surprises in Harmanpreet Kaur-led India squad for Women's Asia Cup T20 . Hindustan Times . 27 April 2018 . 27 April 2018.
  48. Web site: China vs. Nepal . 24 February 2019. ESPN Cricinfo.
  49. News: Full Scorecard of UAE Women vs Nepal Women Group A 2018/19 - Score Report . 29 May 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.
  50. News: Sports Bureau . Nepal register thumping win over Qatar . 31 May 2022 . The Kathmandu Post . 16 November 2021 . English.
  51. News: Full Scorecard of Nepal Women vs Indonesia Wm 1st Semi-Final 2018/19 - Score Report . 29 May 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.
  52. News: Full Scorecard of Thai Women vs Nepal Women Final 2018/19 - Score Report . 29 May 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.
  53. Web site: Thailand make it six wins in a row to claim ICC Women's Asia Qualifier 2019 . International Cricket Council . 27 February 2019 . 27 February 2019.
  54. Web site: ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier – Asia 2019 set to begin in Bangkok . International Cricket Council . 24 February 2019.
  55. Web site: All-round records Women's Twenty20 Internationals Cricinfo Statsguru . ESPNcricinfo . 29 May 2022.
  56. News: Full Scorecard of Nepal Women vs Mal Women 4th Match 2018/19 - Score Report . 29 May 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.
  57. News: Full Scorecard of Nepal Women vs China Wmn 17th Match 2018/19 - Score Report . 29 May 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.
  58. News: Skipper Chhetri makes Nepal's exit memorable . 28 April 2022 . The Kathmandu Post . 28 February 2019 . en.
  59. Web site: Zimbabwe and Nepal readmitted as ICC members . ESPN Cricinfo . 14 October 2019 . 14 October 2019.
  60. News: Oli . Prajwal . Cricket governing body announces central contracts for players, but gender pay gap is huge . 29 April 2022 . The Kathmandu Post . 24 September 2020 . en.
  61. Web site: Women's CricZone Staff . Indu Barma, Rubina Chhetry shine as Nepal trump Qatar by 119 runs in first T20I . Women's CricZone . 29 May 2022 . en . 16 November 2021.
  62. News: Sports Bureau . Nepal complete series sweep . 31 May 2022 . The Kathmandu Post . 19 November 2021 . English.
  63. Web site: Women's CricZone Staff . Nepal whitewash Qatar 3-0 with huge win in final T20I . Women's CricZone . 29 May 2022 . en . 18 November 2021.
  64. Web site: Unbeaten UAE qualify for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier . International Cricket Council . 28 November 2021.
  65. News: Full Scorecard of Nepal Women vs HKG Women 2nd Match 2021/22 - Score Report . 29 May 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.
  66. News: Full Scorecard of Bhutan Women vs Nepal Women 6th Match 2021/22 - Score Report . 29 May 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.
  67. News: Full Scorecard of Mal Women vs Nepal Women 10th Match 2021/22 - Score Report . 29 May 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.
  68. Web site: ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Region Qualifier 2021 Table . ESPN Cricinfo . 3 November 2021.
  69. Web site: Rubina Chhetry profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos . ESPNcricinfo . 30 May 2022.
  70. News: Dahal . Namita . Nepal women's cricket team's loss of Uganda series: Captain Rubina Chhetry points out 5 reasons - OnlineKhabar English News . 30 May 2022 . . 23 May 2022.
  71. News: Full Scorecard of Nepal Women vs Uganda Women 5th T20I 2022 - Score Report . 30 May 2022 . ESPNcricinfo.