As a kid, Renuka Singh Thakur was always passionate about cricket. She would often play with the boys in her neighbourhood using a homemade wooden bat and balls made of cloth, her elated mother Sunita stated.

Sunita shared that her late husband was a big cricket fan who always wished that one of their children would excel in sports. “An ardent cricket lover, my husband wanted that one of the kids should take sports — or Kabaddi — and even though he is not with us, my daughter has fulfilled his dreams,” Sunita said on Monday.

She added, “Renuka was always passionate about cricket and used to play the sport with boys since childhood. As a little girl, she used to make balls out of cloth and play with a wooden bat on the roadside.”

Renuka, who hails from Parsa village in Rohru tehsil of Shimla district, played a key role in India’s maiden Women’s World Cup title triumph.

Celebrations broke out at her home on Sunday as the family cheered every South African wicket. On Monday, her family hosted a feast for the entire village to celebrate the victory.

“Play for the country and not for you today and win the World Cup,” Sunita told her daughter over the phone before Sunday’s final match, in which India defeated South Africa by 52 runs in Navi Mumbai.

“We are happy as our daughter has reached here today and we wish that all girls should go forward and pray to God to keep the youth away from drugs,” she said.

Renuka’s heartfelt journey

Renuka lost her father, Kehar Singh Thakur, when she was just three years old. He worked in the state’s irrigation and public health department. Renuka now plays with a tattoo of her father’s name on her hand as a tribute to him.

“Kehar was so much into cricket that he named his first kid Vinod Thakur after Vinod Kambli, who along with Sachin Tendulkar was a star cricketer at the time when his son was born,” said one of Sunita’s relatives.

Sunita recalled that it was Renuka’s uncle who spotted her talent and introduced her to the sport. “My brother-in-law, Bhupinder Thakur saw Renuka’s talent and said that this girl has potential and it was with his support that Renuka got the opportunity to move forward,” she said.

Her uncle, who was a physical education teacher, recognised her skills early on and helped her join the Dharamshala Cricket Academy, where her journey as a professional cricketer began.

Also Read: Women’s World Cup: CM lauds Renuka, announces ₹1 crore reward