New Delhi: Thailand women’s cricketer Natthakan Chantham suffered a series of bruises, all while mastering Suryakumar Yadav’s signature ‘Supla shot’ – getting down on one knee and scooping the ball over fine or square leg – during net training.
During practice, Chantam was hit multiple times while trying to shoot. She took the hit, was treated by a physical therapist, got back on her feet, and went straight back to rehearsing her shot, determined to perfect it.
As the saying goes, practice makes perfect and Chatham’s dogged dedication reflects her desire to finish Supra’s shot with the same skill and fearlessness as her idol Suryakumar.
Chatham, who is nicknamed “Jeans” by her teammates, is expected to showcase a variety of innovative shots, including her favorite Suriya-inspired shot, in the upcoming 2026 ACC Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament, which kicks off in Bangkok on Friday. Thailand will face Malaysia on Saturday.
In addition to Thailand and Malaysia, India, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are participating in the competition. India, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates and Nepal are placed in Group A, while Group B includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand.
India are the defending champions, having won the title for the first time in 2023 after defeating Bangladesh in the final.
“I am 100 per cent ready for the Asia Cup as I have been waiting for such a big event. Our team is fully prepared and ready to go,” Chatham told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.
“I admire Suryakumar Yadav. He is a fearless batsman. I love his batting at square leg and fine leg – those are my favorites. He plays with great freedom, without any pressure; you don’t see any fear in his eyes. I am an attacking batsman too. I like to come out of the crease and carry on, I don’t like to put pressure on myself. I also like Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle. As a kid, I always tried to copy Suryakumar Yadav, while trying to hit the perfect shot, I got hit many times and sometimes bled, but I never gave up,” she said.
“I would really like to meet Surya one day. If I meet him, I will say only one thing – ‘Please give me your bat’ (laughs),” the batsman added.
Chantam started playing cricket when he was nine years old. Her father, a teacher, initially encouraged her to focus on her studies but later supported her wholeheartedly after recognizing her passion for the sport.
“I fell in love with cricket by accident. I used to bat with a plastic bat. Later, my father gave me a wooden bat and helped me practice. He was a teacher but he played a huge role in my career. My mother ran a beauty salon. I just wanted to go out and win this game for both of them,” said Chatham.
Chantham has played 14 ODIs and 114 T20Is in her career so far.
Watch Women’s Rising Stars Asia Cup 2026 on Sony Sports Network
