Divya Saxena (born 16 September 1993) is a Canadian cricketer. She plays for the national women's cricket team as an all-rounder and has also previously played for the Kenya women's cricket team. She is currently the vice-captain of the Canadian team.

Divya Saxena
Personal information
Full name
Divya Ray Saxena
Born (1993-09-16) 16 September 1993 (age 31)
BattingRight-handed
BowlingRight-arm medium-fast
RoleBowler
International information
National sides
T20I debut (cap 15)19 October 2021 
Canada v Argentina
Last T20I11 September 2023 
Canada v USA
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2023–presentLeeward Islands
Career statistics
Competition WT20I
Matches 12
Runs scored 354
Batting average 44.25
100s/50s 0/2
Top score 70*
Balls bowled 198
Wickets 8
Bowling average 16.62
5 wickets in innings 0
10 wickets in match 0
Best bowling 2/3
Catches/stumpings 5/–
Source: Cricinfo, 7 October 2024

Domestic career

edit

Ahead of the 2023 season, it was announced that Saxena would be in the Leeward Islands squad for the Women's Super50 Cup and Twenty20 Blaze.[1] She was also named in Leeward Islands' squad for the 2024 Twenty20 Blaze.[2]

International career

edit

Kenya

edit

Saxena began her international career with the Kenya team.[3] On 9 December 2006, at the age of 13 years, 84 days, she made her debut for Kenya against Zimbabwe at the Aga Khan Sports Club Ground, Nairobi, during that year's ICC Women's World Cup Qualifying Series Africa Region tournament. The following day, she played her second and final match for Kenya against Uganda at the Premier Club Ground, Nairobi. Both matches were played in a 50-over format.[4]

Canada

edit

On 7 October 2021, Saxena was named vice-captain of the Canada squad selected for the 2021 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier, to be played later that month at the Reforma Athletic Club in Naucalpan, Mexico.[5][6] She made her WT20I debut for Canada on 18 October 2021, against Argentina.[6] She opened the batting, top scored for the match with 70*, and was awarded player of the match, which Canada won by 72 runs.[6][7]

Three days later, on 22 October 2021, in Canada's second match against Argentina, Saxena again opened the batting, and top scored for the match with 39*. Once again, Canada won the match, by 9 wickets, and again, Saxena was player of the match.[8]

On 24 October 2021, against the United States, Saxena opened the batting and top scored for the match with 40 runs to guide Canada to victory by seven runs.[9] However, in that match, she also generated substantial controversy worldwide by allegedly obstructing the field in preventing the United States fielders from catching a ball she had edged into the air while she was yet to score any runs.[10] To the surprise of many, she was given "not out" by the umpire.[10] At the end of the tournament, she was also named MVP for scoring 180 runs in six innings and being not out in three of them.[11] Canada nevertheless finished only third; the United States was the winner.[12]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Squads Named for CG United Women's Super50 Cup and T20 Blaze Tournaments". Windies Cricket. 7 May 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Squads named for CG United Women's Super50 Cup and T20 Blaze Tournaments". Cricket West Indies. Retrieved 20 March 2024.
  3. ^ Emerging Cricket (27 October 2021). "Global Game: USA win ICC Women's T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier". International Cricket Council. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Divya Saxena Debut and last played matches in Tests, ODIs, T20Is and other formats". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Canada names women's cricket team for ICC World Cup Americans Qualifier". CTVNews. 6 October 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  6. ^ a b c "Divya Saxena profile and biography, stats, records, averages, photos and videos". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Full Scorecard of Can Women vs Arg Women 2nd Match 2021/22 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  8. ^ "Full Scorecard of Arg Women vs Can Women 7th Match 2021/22 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Full Scorecard of Can Women vs USA Women 9th Match 2021/22 - Score Report | ESPNcricinfo.com". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Canada cricketer allowed to continue her innings after obstructing the field against USA". CricTracker. 1 November 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  11. ^ "Calgary all-rounder Divya Saxena named MVP at cricket qualifier in Mexico". The Toronto Star. The Canadian Press. 26 October 2021.
  12. ^ "ICC Women's T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifier 2021 Table". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 14 October 2021.