Meet Richa Ghosh: The 22-year-old cricket star backed by family, grit and dreams

Richa Ghosh is a 22-year-old Indian wicket-keeper and batter, who has rapidly become a cricket sensation. She has an aggressive approach to her gameplay. She has an impressive collection of titles, including the 2025 Women's World Cup. Her journey began in Siliguri, West Bengal.Richa was born on September 28, 2003, and her passion for cricket started at the age of four. She used to be accompanied by her father, Manabendra Ghosh, who is a club-level cricketer and now an umpire in local matches. She grew up in a town without a dedicated girls' team but honed her skills playing with boys. With this type of training, she developed a fearless approach to fast bowling.Richa’s family prioritised her dreams even if it meant she would lose out on other oppurtunities. Her family stood by her when she had miss giving her board exams and her father famously noted, "World Cups don't come every year... She can always give her board exams later." This type of support is rare and when combined with her dedication and discipline, it has only been the backbone of her rapid rise.Richa made her international T20I debut for India at just 16 years old in February 2020. She was a key player in India's historic maiden ICC Women's Cricket World Cup win in 2025. Here, she had the highest strike rate in the tournament. Not only this, but she played the final with a fractured finger, highlighting her undying sportsmanship.She holds the record for the fastest fifty by an Indian in both Women's ODIs and T20Is, and jointly holds the world record for the fastest fifty in Women's T20Is. By the age to 22, she has won several trophies. It includes the U-19 World Cup, Women's Premier League (WPL) title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Asian Games gold, and Commonwealth Games silver. RCB also signed her for a substantial Rs 1.90 crore in the inaugural WPL auction.Richa is seen as an inspiration as her laurels have helped to give women's cricket a new global identity. Her former coach and fans now express the dream of seeing her lead the Indian national team in the future. After achieveing a big milestone by brining the World Cup home, she was appointed an honorary Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) with the West Bengal Police. It is a recognition of her national contributions.