Schoolgirl’s head-spinning path to higher honours

As the White Ferns inspire the next generation with their performances at the T20 World Cup, Rishika Jaswal is proof of the impact New Zealand’s best players can have on our young cricketers.
The 17-year-old leg spinner recently received her first domestic contract from the Auckland Hearts, having made her senior debut against Northern Districts in the Hallyburton Johnstone Shield (HBJ) last November.
In the early days of her playing career she bowled medium pace, until she saw Melie Kerr taking wickets via spin in a World Cup.
“She [Kerr] inspired me. She’s an absolute gun,” Jaswal says, and like Kerr, she aspires to be a genuine all-rounder.
Jaswal’s introduction to the sport was a typical one. She started playing when she was about 10 at St Joseph’s Catholic School in Takapuna. For the first few years she played with boys, before transitioning to girls-only teams as she attended Takapuna Grammar School.
Mother Upasna and father Sanjay have been supportive of her cricketing journey, ensuring her life has balance and helping her with the mental side of the game. She’s also had coaches who continue to help her to improve every day.
Jaswal was one of the stars at the 2023 Gillette Venus Cup national tournament at Lincoln last December.
The annual event is the national competition for secondary school girls which sees one team from each of New Zealand’s six major associations qualify to compete against each other over three days.
Jaswal was named as one of the tournament’s joint MVPs with St Matthew’s Emma McLeod), finishing as the equal-highest wicket-taker with nine at an incredible average of eight. She also scored 120 runs with the bat, at an average of 40, finishing fourth-highest run-scorer.
That same month, Jaswal made her Dream11 Super Smash debut against Canterbury, before racking up a total of seven appearances in HBJ’s 50-over competition.
A long off-season has allowed her to devote most of her time to the final year at Takapuna Grammar, but New Zealand Cricket’s development of young, talented players isn’t limited to domestic competition.
Jaswal was part of a 15-strong New Zealand Development Women’s squad featuring 12 domestically contracted players, who played Australia and Sri Lanka in an U19 Tri-Series in Brisbane and the Gold Coast in late September and early October.
The series comprised four T20 matches and two 50-over fixtures for the squad, which is a vital part of preparations for the 2025 ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia in January.
“It’s been challenging, it’s been exciting, a bit of everything,” Jaswal says. “The games came thick and fast, with not much time to reflect.”
Sara McGlashan, New Zealand Cricket’s high performance female pathways coach, led the squad and was impressed with Jaswal’s development across the six games.
“Rishika performed well during the U19 Tri-Series, particularly with her bowling, where she held her own against some high-quality batters,” says McGlashan.
“She [learned] a lot from the challenging matches and is focused on applying that as she heads into the domestic summer in New Zealand. She’s showing growth in adapting her game plan depending on the conditions and batters she’s up against. She had limited opportunities with the bat, but when given the chance to set us up with a good start in the 50-over match against Australia, she and Emma McLeod put on a 50-run partnership, which was excellent.”
The U19 programme plays a critical role in identifying and developing young talent. Through camps and tours, players like Jaswal get the chance to challenge themselves against strong competition, which helps them improve technically, tactically and mentally.
These experiences also prepare young players for the pressures of international cricket by giving them exposure to higher standards of play and opportunities to fine-tune their skills. The programme serves as a pathway for these players to transition to higher levels of the game, making it an essential part of their development.
McGlashan is happy with the way the current crop of young women is developing as that U19 World Cup approaches.
“The preparations are progressing well. After several camps and the ongoing hard work players are putting in with their major associations, we’re seeing steady improvement. As we head toward the nationals tournament, there will be further opportunities to identify key players who will make up the squad for the World Cup,” she says.
Jaswal now returns to her North Shore Cricket Club and is in pre-season training with the Hearts, with their 2024/25 HBJ campaign kicking off on November 16 against Northern Districts.
“The Hearts environment is where it excites me to go to training and learn about my game and from my teammates. It feels like my second home and family. It feels great to be surrounded by the [squad’s] White Ferns and the Hearts top players,” Jaswal says.
Although cricket is Jaswal’s primary focus, she’ll look to start university in 2025. But before then, she hopes her form for her club and for the Hearts can secure a spot in the U19 World Cup squad.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to play for New Zealand and representing them in a World Cup would be huge.”