As South Africa prepares to celebrate Women’s Day on Sunday, 9 August, Chatsworth’s Shreeya Subbiah is showing young girls that passion, perseverance and self-belief can turn childhood dreams into reality.
The Hollywoodbets Chatsworth Sporting Cricket Club player recently returned from the South Africa Under-19 Women’s team’s historic tour of Pakistan – the squad’s first-ever tour of the country – where they secured an impressive series victory.
For the talented opening batter, representing South Africa was far more than another milestone. It was the fulfilment of a dream that began when she first picked up a cricket bat at the age of eight.
“For me, representing South Africa was one of the proudest moments of my life,” said Subbiah.
“Wearing the national colours was an incredible honour and something I have dreamed about since I started playing cricket at the age of eight. The tour gave me the opportunity to live my dream and continue on the path towards achieving my goals and aspirations.”
The experience challenged her both on and off the field as she adapted to unfamiliar subcontinent conditions while competing against a talented Pakistan side.
“It taught me resilience, gratitude and the importance of embracing every opportunity to learn and grow.”
As an opening batter, Subbiah said facing Pakistan’s skilled bowling attack was an invaluable learning experience.
“The subcontinent conditions were very different from what we are used to, so adapting quickly was essential. I had the opportunity to test both my batting and bowling in those conditions, and facing Pakistan’s skilled left-arm bowlers really helped me develop my game.”
Away from the cricket field, she also embraced the opportunity to experience a different culture.
“The warm hospitality of the Pakistani people made the tour even more memorable.”
Reflecting on the team’s success, Subbiah said winning the series was the reward for months of hard work.
“I’m most proud of staying mentally strong and contributing to the team whenever I had the opportunity. Winning the series was unforgettable because it reflected all the hard work we had put in together.”
However, it was walking onto the field wearing the South African badge for the first time that remains her most treasured memory.
“It reminded me why I fell in love with cricket and motivated me to keep striving for higher honours.”
Subbiah credited Hollywoodbets Chatsworth Sporting Cricket Club and the Chatsworth Cricket Hub with helping to shape her cricket journey.
“I discovered my passion for cricket through the Chatsworth Cricket Hub. The coaches, teammates and everyone involved have supported and encouraged me throughout the years, helping me develop both my skills and my confidence.”
She hopes her story will inspire more young people to pursue their dreams through dedication and perseverance.
“I want to sincerely thank them for believing in me and always pushing me to improve. I hope my journey shows young cricketers that with hard work, discipline and perseverance, dreams really can become reality.”
Although proud of what she has already achieved, Subbiah’s focus is firmly on the future as she prepares for the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh and Nepal in January next year.
“My immediate focus is preparing for the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh and Nepal in January and doing everything I can to help South Africa perform well.”
Looking further ahead, she hopes to earn a place in the senior Proteas Women’s team.
“Representing the senior Proteas Women’s team is definitely one of my biggest dreams. I know there is still a lot of hard work ahead, and I want to keep improving every part of my game, especially becoming more consistent with the bat while continuing to develop my bowling and fielding.”
Her ultimate goal remains simple.
“I want to keep learning, enjoy every opportunity and make my family, my club and South Africa proud.”
