Danish Ali/Srinagar

It took Sakeena Akhtar a decade to establish herself, even though she was the first female national cricket coach from Jammu & Kashmir.

Early in her career, she was a lone figure on the cricket grounds of Kashmir University — the only woman in the region training budding cricketers while battling deep-rooted societal taboos.

She has earned the title of being one of the best national coaches through years of perseverance, resilience, and unshakable commitment to the sport she loves.

A 42-year-old resident of Srinagar, Sakeena’s story is one of unrelenting grit, quiet rebellion, and a passion that refused to give up.

Sakeena Akhtar on the field

Once a teenager forced to give up playing cricket with boys due to societal pressures, she is now shaping the future of Indian women’s cricket. Sakeena’s journey started in the narrow lanes of Munawarabad, downtown Srinagar, where she was the only girl on a boys’ cricket team. “That’s where I learned how to swing a bat, take a catch, and face bouncers — and life threw quite a few at me,” she told Awaz-The Voice.

The breakthrough came in 1998 when she played her first under-19 nationals in Delhi and was named Woman of the Series. Just when things seemed promising, family and societal pressures forced her to step back. However, instead of quitting the sport altogether, she pivoted and turned to coaching.

Sakeena’s journey began in the narrow lanes of Munawarabad, downtown Srinagar, where she was the only girl on a boys’ cricket team. “That’s where I learned how to swing a bat, take a catch, and face bouncers — and life threw quite a few at me,” she told Awaz-The Voice.

The breakthrough came in 1998 when she played her first under-19 nationals in Delhi and was declared Woman of the Series. Just when things looked promising, familial and societal pressures forced her to step back.

However, instead of quitting the sport altogether, she pivoted and turned to coaching.

Sakeena Akhtar training women cricketers

Despite having little institutional support initially, Sakeena pursued formal coaching training and began imparting her knowledge to young athletes.

Over time, her efforts were recognized by the University of Kashmir, which hired her as a cricket coach in 2017. For the next eight years, she trained both boys and girls, quietly building a reputation as a tough yet empathetic mentor.

“Many girls who came to me were unsure of their place in sports,” she says. “I would tell them — look at me. If I can do it, so can you.”

She trained several under-19 state players, a few of whom are now part of zonal teams and knocking on the doors of the national selection committee.

Young women cricketers trained by Sakeena

This year, Sakeena’s consistent contributions to the game earned her a place in the national spotlight.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appointed her as an assistant coach for India’s under-19 women’s team, and she has now been inducted into the coaching panel for the senior women’s national squad — a historic first for a woman from Jammu and Kashmir.

Sakeena’s success has already begun to create a buzz in the valley. In Srinagar, new cricket academies now have dedicated sessions for girls. The once-lonely girl on the field now has dozens walking in her footsteps.

“When I first started, I was told girls don’t belong on the cricket field. Today, those same people bring their daughters to train with me,” she says.

Sakeena Akhtar on the field

Sakeena hopes to establish a residential cricket academy for girls in Kashmir. “We need infrastructure, exposure, and, importantly, faith. If I can give that to even a few young girls, my job is half done,” she says.

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Sakeena Akhtar is more than a coach. She is a pathbreaker, a mentor, and a living testament that dreams, no matter how distant, could become a reality one day.