Step-by-step advice on pathways, clubs, competitions and coaching for getting into girls cricket and women’s cricket in Nagaland.
Cricket is not always the first choice of sport for many girls in Nagaland. The state began playing BCCI tournaments only from 2018, so facilities for women’s cricket in the state are very new, and knowledge about the game is still very raw.
Work is being done, though, to improve the game. Here’s what a girl who hopes to play cricket can do to join cricket in Nagaland.
Where to start
Nagaland doesn’t yet have grassroots programmes for talent identification or development. School and college cricket for girls is also rare.
So, you can consider starting by playing other sports. This will still help you gain the fitness level, strength and mindset you need to succeed in cricket.
Then, you can attend camps at the district level or at the state level, which are run by Nagaland Cricket Association (NCA). Information about this may be found in the paper or the NCA Facebook page and NCA website.
Dimapur is the main centre for women’s cricket. In 2020, Zunheboto district too started a girls team.
Route to the Nagaland state women’s team
Nagaland has teams for Under-19, Under-23 and senior age groups.
Selection is via open trials: Trials → Camp → State team
A trial is like an audition, where coaches and selectors will see what level your cricket is at. Keep an eye out on the newspaper or the NCA social media pages for information about the date and venue of these trials.
You will need to register with your ID proof and other age-related documents before attending the trials.
Following these trials, a coaching camp is held for a smaller group of players (around 30). In Nagaland, since the number of women playing is small, this is generally a combined camp for all age-groups. It may go on for a couple of weeks to a month.
At the end of the camp, based on what the coaches and selectors see, the state teams are announced.
Facilities
The main centre for cricket in Nagaland is the Sovima Cricket Stadium in Dimapur. There is an academy attached to the stadium, as well as gyms and indoor facilities players can access.
Outside of Dimapur, there are practice nets available at Zunheboto, Tseminyu in Kohima district and the St Xavier’s College, Jalukie, in Peren district.
The state team practice and camps usually happen outside Nagaland, though, for want of better resources.
Notable academies for girls cricket in Nagaland
- Hokaito Zhimomi Cricket Coaching Centre, Dimapur
If you have information on schools, colleges or academies that support girls cricket in Nagaland, contact us and we’ll add it to this page!