Lisa Sthalekar is a true cricket legend whose cricket journey began in 2001 when she made her ODI debut on the England tour. She’s a right-handed batter and a right-arm off-break bowler. She’s known for her exceptional all-rounder abilities, and her contribution to Australian cricket is inspirational.
She was abandoned by her biological parents when she was born but life took a turn of events and she was soon adopted by an American couple, with whom she moved to the U.S.A. and began her cricket journey as a teenager.
She was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2020, and a year later, she was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame on February 5. She holds many records to her name and is popularly known as the “cricket trailblazer”, so let’s take a look at her life and achievements.
Abandoned, But Not Alone: The Trailblazer Lisa Sthalekar
Lisa was three weeks old when she was left at the doorstep of an orphanage, Shreevatsa, in Pune, India. Haren and Sue Sthalekar, who already have a daughter, went to visit the orphanage in the hope of a baby boy and were disheartened after they couldn’t find one.
As they were about to leave, they were suggested to take a look at the tiny Laila, and as expected, they fell in love with her and decided to adopt her. They soon completed all the legal formalities and also changed her name to Lisa and brought her back to the U.S. before eventually settling in Sydney. She did her primary schooling at Cherrybrook Public School and later attended Barker College. She’s a major in psychology and religious studies.
The Making of a Champion: Lisa Sthalekar’s Journey
Lisa’a father introduced her to cricket in the backyard saying, “I think cricket runs in the blood of all Indians” as he recognized the country’s love for the sport. She played against boys initially and was not aware of the females playing the game. One day, her father took her to a women’s Test match after which she joined Gordon Club in Sydney.
She began her professional cricket journey in 2001. She debuted in ODI on June 29, 2001, in a match where Australia won by 99 runs. She holds the record for being the first woman to score 1000 runs and take 100 wickets in ODIs. She was a part of the World Cup-winning squad in 2005 and 2013. She scored a total of 2,728 runs in 125 ODI matches.
She debuted in Test cricket in Brisbane against England in 2003. She scored a century in her second match and is the 143rd woman to play Test cricket for Australia. She has played 8 tests and scored a career 416 runs with a batting average of 32.00. She’s also taken 23 wickets with her career best being 5 wickets for just 30 runs.
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She holds the record for the third-highest wicket-taker in ODI, which is 146 and captained Australia in three ODIs against New Zealand in 2006. Lisa took retirement from cricket in 2013 after the World Cup win. After her retirement, she was appointed as the president of FICA, making her the first woman to hold the position. She also works as a commentator in KFC BBL, rebel WBBL, and the Indian Premier League.
The former Australian cricketer was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in August 2020 and the Australian Hall of Fame in 2021 for her outstanding performance in the cricket world.
Also Read: Inducted Into The Hall Of Fame: A Tribute To The Amazing Christina Matthews
Lisa Sthalekar’s Trophy Cabinet
- She was named Women’s International Cricketer of the Year in 2007.
- She was awarded the Belinda Clark Medal twice in 2007 and 2008.
- She grabbed the Kerry Packer Award in 2019.
- Inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2020.
- Inducted into the Australian Hall of Fame in 2021.
