Sqn Ldr Shikha Pandey started playing cricket as a child and took up cricket professionally only at the age of 18 during the second year of her engineering studies. She represented Goa and South Zone in her initial playing days and went on to captain both Goa and South Zone Senior Women’s Teams. She realised her childhood dream of donning a soldier’s uniform and serve the Nation when she was selected to join the Indian Air Force. After successfully completing her training, she was commissioned in the Indian Air Force as an Adm/ ATC Officer on 30 Jun 2012.
#IAF Achievers: Sqn Ldr Shikha Pandey will be a pt of Indian Women's cricket team in the ICC T-20 World Cup. She also features in ICC Women's ODI Team of the Year 2019. "Playing for my country is a passion realised and donning the IAF uniform is a dream come true", she says. pic.twitter.com/ax5RPEpKaz
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) January 18, 2020
Sqn Ldr Shikha has represented India in all three cricketing formats. As one of India’s most accomplished all-rounders, she has played a key role in the Indian cricket team’s rise on the world stage over the past years . She was a member of the Indian Women’s Team that took part in the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 in Bangladesh in 2014 and in India in 2016. Sqn Ldr Shikha has played a pivotal role in the Indian Team’s journey to the finals in the Women’s World Cup held in England in the year 2017 proving to be the team’s dependable wicket-taker.
Sqn Ldr Shikha has represented the country with great pride and honour and continues to enhance her reputation across the cricketing world. She has recently been contracted by the BCCI for the year 2019-2020 and has also featured in the ICC Women’s ODI Team of the Year 2019.
She has also been selected to represent India in the T-20 World Cup to be held in Australia in February this year. Her journey in Indian Air Force as a proud Air-Warrior has been no less inspiring.
She was, in fact, selected in the Indian Women’s Cricket Team two years after she was commissioned in the Indian Air Force. “Indian Air Force gave flight to my dreams”, she says and adds “playing for my country is a passion realised and donning the Indian Air Force uniform is a dream come true”.
Sqn Ldr Shikha has also been contracted by the BCCI for the year 2019-20. Indian Air Force wishes Sqn Ldr Shikha the very best for her future endevours.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) January 18, 2020
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