Fort Bend teen joins U.S. cricket team

A Fort Bend ISD high schooler won a coveted spot on the women's national cricket team for the upcoming World Cup qualifier tournament.

The big picture: Dulles High School student Pooja Shah , 18, is a rising star in the professional cricket world, having made her international debut in 2023 with the inaugural women's under-19 team in a tournament in South Africa.

Now, she's one of 15 women on the senior team representing the U.S. in the 2024 International Cricket Council Women's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier , which kicks off Friday in Abu Dhabi.

• Shah earned the spot during a four-day training and selection camp in Florida in March.
• Her ability to bowl and bat made her a versatile asset to this year's campaign, in which she'll play as a middle-order batter.

The intrigue: Shah started playing competitively in 2020 and was the only girl in the Sugar Land Youth Cricket Club when she began, according to the Fort Bend Independent .

• She wants to pursue a career in health care as an orthopedic surgeon or a specialist in sports medicine.

State of play: The senior women's team has played in the qualifier twice in its 15-year history but has never made it to the World Cup.

What's next: The team's first competitive tournament match is against Uganda on April 27 .

• Tournament matches will be streamed on the International Cricket Council's website .

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