In her debut tournament, Nirmala helped Dhangadhi to secure semifinal berth with player of the match performance in two out of three group stage matches she played. Her side faced four wickets defeat at the hands of APF in the semifinal on Tuesday. She however was the highest run scorer (15 run) for Dhangadhi in semifinal.Though at late age of sports career, Nirmala marked her debut for Dhangadai at 29, in the national cricket because she has been living in Mumbai, India, with her parents since long. In fact she was born in Mumbai and living there with her parents - father Deepak Shahi and mother Mina Shahi - who had been working there.
Now Nirmala has set her eyes firmly on the Nation team. Though she is new name in Nepali cricket fraternity, she has been playing India's prestigious Ranji Trophy for about a decade.
"I started professional cricketing since last 12 years," said Nirmala who is also an employee at the Central Railway of India who had been one of the regular of Mumbai Railway nearly for 10 years. But currently she has been playing the Ranji Trophy for Central Railway Sports Association.
Ranji Trophy is an elite tournament of India and also a platform for the Indian National team. However, she insists that getting an opportunity to play for Nepal makes her more happy than playing for any other national team.
Nirmala's father Deepak originally from Surkhet has retired from TATA Steel. "I have been in Nepal a couple of times to meet my family member," recalled Nirmala, who felt difficulty even to speak Nepali language.
She got an opportunity to seen Nepali cricket closely during her Dhangadhi visit last year after she came with a U-19 cricket team of Mumbai.
"After inquiry I came to know that Nirmala was Nepali and asked her if she wanted to play for Nepal or not," said Dhangadhi coach Kishan Mahat. "She promised to play if she gets appropriate opportunity."
"As the Prime Minster Cup was announced, we contacted Nirmala and she came to play the tournament," said Dhangadhi Manager Hemraj Joshi, who added that Nirmala had a key role in Dhangadhi's entry into semifinal.
"Nirmala has been all-rounder as she has been good in both batting and bowling," said Dhangadhi coach Mahat, who believed that Nirmala could be star in national team."
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