‘They are going to play tennis now’ – Fans react as Sania Mirza joins Bangalore camp as Mentor ahead of Women’s T20 League 2023

Former Indian Tennis star Sania Mirza has joined the camp of the Bangalore franchise as a mentor ahead of the upcoming Women’s T20 League. While other coaching staff will look after the cricket side of things, Sania will guide the Women cricketers and prepare them for the upcoming challenges.

The 36-year-old is considered the pioneer for women in sports. She has won the Grand Slam six times and has a total of 14 medals across multi tournaments. She retired from the game in the Dubai Open and now will share her experiences with the cricketers across the as a mentor.

Sania joined the Bangalore camp and had conversations with the players like Sophie Devine and Heather Knight. Bangalore will start their campaign in the Women’s T20 League with a match against the Delhi franchise on February 5 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

‘Sania is a huge icon’ – Mike Hesson

Director of the Bangalore franchise, Mike Hesson said that Sania is a huge icon in Women’s sports and she would give the players an edge by talking about the mental challenges they face.

“No matter what sport you are from, but coming up as an elite and challenging the norms in terms of an athlete, wanting to embrace pressure and how to deal with it, and not be afraid of it, for women’s sport, Sania is a huge icon,” said Hesson during the media interaction.

“The real challenge that women face in the sport in India, and throughout the world is how can you treat that as an exciting opportunity rather than something that is going to hold them back. The more you talk about pressure, emotions of the game, and the challenges rather than talking technique for which we have got plenty of experts. I think it’s exciting,” he further added.

The inaugural season of the Women’s T20 League is set to begin on March 4 with an opening match between Mumbai and Gujarat at the DY Patil stadium in Mumbai.

Here’s how Twitter reacted: 

Was getting a women ex-cricketer so tough?

— GOATEDBAKRI (@goatedbakri) March 3, 2023

https://twitter.com/7781Panda/status/1631586932202569728

The only decision I didn't like about RCB – the mentor

— Zafaron Indigo (@ZafaronIndigo) March 3, 2023

https://twitter.com/DrAshishPradhan/status/1631582078008696832

https://twitter.com/Vkgoat18_/status/1631581879387422721

https://twitter.com/Anbhigya1/status/1631598141274484737

https://twitter.com/airwind_ac/status/1631583241592541184

Ab yeh kya khabar chapi hai-
"Ab Ghodon ki race mein GOAT bhi daudenge"

— Vommy Tercetti (@BuntaTakakura6) March 3, 2023

Sania Olympic medal =0
RCB trophy=0

— Nikhhiiil (@iamnr001) March 3, 2023