NEW DELHI: Thailand women’s team cricketer Natthakan Chantham has endured a barrage of bruises, all in pursuit of mastering Suryakumar Yadav’s trademark ‘Supla shot’ — going down on one knee to scoop the ball over fine leg or square leg — during net sessions.During practice sessions, Chantham has repeatedly been struck while attempting the shot. She gets hit, receives treatment from the physio, pads up again and goes straight back to rehearsing the stroke, determined to perfect it.As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, and Chantham’s stubborn dedication reflects her desire to execute the Supla shot with the same finesse and fearlessness as her idol Suryakumar.Nicknamed ‘Jeans’ by her teammates, Chantham is expected to showcase a wide range of innovative strokes — including her favourite Surya-inspired shot — in the upcoming ACC Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars 2026, which begins on Friday in Bangkok. Thailand will open their campaign against Malaysia on Saturday.
Apart from Thailand and Malaysia, the tournament features India, Pakistan, UAE, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. India, Pakistan, UAE and Nepal have been placed in Group A, while Group B consists of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand.India are the defending champions, having lifted the inaugural title in 2023 after defeating Bangladesh in the final.“I’m 100 percent ready for the Asia Cup because I have been waiting for a big tournament like this. Our team is well prepared and ready to go,” Chantham told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.“I admire Suryakumar Yadav. He is a fearless batter. I love the shots he plays over square leg and fine leg — those are my favourites. He plays with so much freedom and without any pressure; you can’t see any fear in his eyes. I am also an attacking batter. I like stepping out of the crease and taking the game on, and I don’t like putting pressure on myself. I also like Brendon McCullum and Chris Gayle. As a kid, I always tried to copy Suryakumar Yadav. I got hit many times, sometimes bled too, while trying to perfect that shot, but I never gave up,” she said.“I really want to meet Surya someday. If I meet him, I will say just one thing — ‘please give me your bat’ (laughs),” the batter added.
Chantham took up cricket at the age of nine. Her father, a schoolteacher, initially encouraged her to focus on academics but later backed her wholeheartedly after recognising her passion for the sport.“I fell in love with cricket accidentally. I used to hit the ball with a plastic bat. Later, my father gave me a wooden bat and helped me practise. He is a teacher, but his role in my career has been huge. My mother runs a beauty parlour. I just want to go out there and win this tournament for both of them,” Chantham said.Chantham has played 14 ODIs and 114 T20Is in her career so far.Watch Asia Cup Women’s Rising Stars 2026 on Sony Sports network
