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Lisa’s remarkable career could have been unimaginable had she not been adopted. Her story highlights the untapped potential in children living in orphanages worldwide
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Many have talents that, given the right opportunity, could flourish just like hers. While cases like Lisa’s may be rare, they underscore the profound impact that destiny and opportunity can have on a life
Lisa Sthalekar, a renowned former Australian cricketer, is now celebrated for her insightful analysis of matches in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Her journey from an orphanage in India to the pinnacle of Australian cricket reads like a modern-day fairytale. Born Laila in Pune, India, in 1979, she was placed in the Shreevatsa orphanage due to her biological parents’ financial struggles, reported siasat.com.
Haren Sthalekar, an Indian man residing in the USA, and his American wife Sue visited the orphanage with the intent of adopting a boy. However, after failing to find one, a caretaker introduced them to Laila.
Lisa became the first woman to score 1,000 runs and take 100 wickets in ODI tournaments and captained the Australian women’s cricket team. Twice, she was honored with the prestigious Belinda Clark Award, given to the best Australian female cricketer
Instantly drawn to her, Sue felt that Laila was meant to be part of their family. After completing all legal formalities, they renamed her Lisa and took her to the USA. The family later relocated to Sydney, Australia, where Lisa’s passion for cricket was ignited by her sports-loving father.
Lisa’s cricket journey began at Cherrybrook Public School, where she played for the West Pennant Hills Cherrybrook Cricket Club. Her talent quickly became evident, and after years of honing her skills, she made her debut for the Australian national team in 2001.
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