Charlotte Edwards has a very illustrious coaching resume. Two titles with the Southern Vipers in England, a trophy in The Hundred with the Southern Brave, and of course, the inaugural Women’s Premier League with the Mumbai Indians. It’s been a year since Harmanpreet Kaur and her girls lifted the trophy on that magical night at the Brabourne Stadium, and in this one year, a host of then-kids have transformed into now-stars.

Saika Ishaque is one of them. Relatively unheard of, she was the surprise package, with 15 wickets in ten games to finish as the tournament’s second-highest wicket-taker. An India cap surely came calling. And coach Mumbai Indians Head Charlotte couldn’t hide her excitement at watching one of our very own make it big.

“For someone like Saika, to have the kind of tournament she had last year, to then get the recognition with India. That’s the thing as a coach, I watched her play in her debut international match and I felt very proud watching her play,” Charlotte said in a chat with Forbes India.  

The 20-year-old Issy Wong was another. Raw pace, aggression, with the ability to tonk big sixes, and do it all with a bigger smile on her face, she was truly a revelation. Again, not a known name, but with enough x-factor for Charlotte to have seen to pick her in the auction and have her in the playing XI straightaway. The validation was almost instant in the form of a hat-trick against UP Warriorz.

“I believed in Issy. I knew what she could bring to the team. She has an x-factor in her. There’s not many players you can say in that breath. I knew if we could get her in this environment where we are having fun, we’re supporting the players and believing in her, she would produce the goods on the pitch. I must say, her hat-trick against UP Warriorz was in one of my ten highlights in cricket. To see those stumps light up when she got that wicket of Sophie Ecclestone will be something I won’t forget,” she said.

What’s the mantra for her success then? What can we expect from her as season 2 of the WPL kicks off on Friday (February 23)?

“One thing I am definitely not is complacent. And this Mumbai Indians team will be as thorough as I possibly can so that we can get another WPL title.”