Jemimah gears up for her first World Cup

Teenage cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues is all geared up for the upcoming T20 World Cup in West Indies and says it's all about mental preparation.

"Now I am preparing for the World Cup and I am preparing with the boys at the MIG (Club). It's my first World Cup and it's more of a mental preparation. I am also practising at the Bandra Kurla Complex with the senior women's Mumbai team," Jemimah said at the annual awards function organised by the Sports Journalists Association of Mumbai at the Cricket Club of India on Thursday.

The 18-year-old right-handed batswoman has been impressive in the series in Sri Lanka and is a regular in the Indian team.

Jemimah also recalled how her seniors, veteran Mithali Raj ,Jhulan Goswami and Harmanpreet Kaur "gelled up" with her after she first entered the dressing room when she was "nervous".

She also recalled about the interaction she had with cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar in Mumbai before she embarked on the tour to South Africa earlier this year.

The Indian Women's team under their coach Ramesh Powar is expected to train in Mumbai before heading to the Caribbean.

Apart from Jemimah, several other sports persons who made a mark were presented with awards by illustrious personalities like veteran slow left orthodox bowler Padmakar Shivalkar, former Olympian M M Somaya, former cuiest Yasin Merchant and AFI President Adille Sumariwalla.

Among the other winners was rifle-shooter Tejaswini Sawant, who also spoke about her ongoing preparations for the Olympic Qualifiers.

The award winners: Rahul Aware (Sportsman of the year);
Heena Sidhu and Tejaswini Sawant (Sportswomen of the year);