Mumbai girl Hurley Gala's India U-19 call-up, a perfect b’day gift for dad

India U-19’s pacer Hurley Gala against NZ at MCA’s BKC ground recently. Pic/Atul Kamble

Mumbai all-rounder Hurley Gala, 16, gave her dad Tanmay a special gift for his 42nd birthday on Monday - a telephone call to inform him about her selection in the Shafali Verma-led Indian team - for the U-19 Women's T20 World Cup.

The women's selection committee chaired by Neetu David picked the team for the first U-19 women's T20 World Cup to be held in South Africa from January 14, as well as for the bilateral T20 series against the Proteas U-19 side beginning December 17. The U-19 women's World Cup will feature 16 teams with India placed in Group D alongside SA, UAE and Scotland.

Tanmay Gala

"My daughter gave me the best-ever birthday gift today. I am experiencing goose bumps since the morning when she gave me the news. It's a very proud moment for our family," Gala told mid-day on Monday.

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Pacer Hurley has claimed seven wickets from three games in the five-match T20 series against New Zealand U-19 in Mumbai. "I am expecting a match-winning performance in each and every match of the World Cup. She was very active and a good athlete right from her childhood days. She accompanied me for a box cricket tournament in Andheri when she was just 10 or 11 and started playing extraordinarily. She hasn't looked back since," Gala remarked.