Hong Kong vice-captain Maryam Bibi is preparing for one of the biggest challenges of her career as her team gets ready to face India in the Women’s Asia Cup. For Maryam, the encounter is also a reminder of how far she and Hong Kong women’s cricket have come.Maryam’s cricket journey began far away from the spotlight of international cricket. She started by playing tape-ball cricket with her father and continued playing the format during her primary-school years. It was only when she reached college and discovered hard-ball cricket that she decided to take the sport more seriously.“I used to play tape-ball cricket with my dad and in primary school. When I went to college, we didn’t have tape-ball cricket, we only had hard-ball cricket. For my enjoyment and loving cricket a lot, I wanted to try hard-ball cricket,” Maryam told in an exclusive interview with Times of India.That decision eventually opened the door to a career with Hong Kong. After helping her school team win a championship, Maryam decided to test herself at the national level. She began attending national training sessions alongside club cricket before eventually earning her place in the Hong Kong setup. Her early journey also included selection for the 2018 ASEAN Cup tour to Thailand.
‘I had to work double hard in studies to play cricket’
For Maryam, pursuing cricket was never simply about turning up for training. Like many young athletes, she had to balance sport with education, but the demands were particularly challenging.“In Hong Kong, studies are very important, and managing studies and cricket training was difficult for me, because my mom had a rule that I need to pass my studies to play cricket,” she said.“I have to train early morning and then train evening. So, I need to manage my studies and cricket. Which was one of the biggest obstacles for me,” she added.
Father’s unfinished dream became her motivation
Maryam credits her father as the biggest influence on her cricket career.Her father had dreamed of representing the national team but was unable to fulfil that ambition because of personal circumstances. Maryam eventually decided to carry that dream forward herself.“My dad has the biggest influence on me, because my dad’s dream was to play for a national side, and he couldn’t play due to some personal reasons, So, I wanted to lift up his dream, and by doing that, I started dreaming to play for Hong Kong team,” she said.
‘We got smashed’ – but India A defeat became a lesson
Maryam has already experienced facing an Indian side, although it was India A, rather than the senior national team. Hong Kong played India A in the 2023 ACC Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup. India A bowled Hong Kong out for just 34 before chasing the target in 5.2 overs to win by nine wickets. Shreyanka Patil took five wickets for two runs.Maryam remembers the experience vividly.“I remember India A coming to Hong Kong and playing Emerging Cup, and we got smashed, for sure. We scored like 36 runs or something, and they chased it down in four overs,” she said.But rather than allowing that defeat to define the team, Maryam believes it became an important learning experience.“From that game, we had a lot of learnings and lessons we brought back, and in those two years’ time, we focused on our fitness, skills and some of the analyst part of the game,” she said.Now, Hong Kong are preparing to face India’s senior side, and Maryam believes the approach has to be simple despite the huge difference in experience.“We know that they are world-class batters and experienced players over there. Our thinking is to play the ball and take them… don’t take them lightly, but don’t play just because they’re an India team. Play it as a game of cricket,” she said.
‘Harmanpreet is my dream wicket’
There is one Indian wicket Maryam would love to have on her resume. Asked which Indian batter she would most like to dismiss, Maryam immediately picked Harmanpreet Kaur.“Harmanpreet Kaur, because I think she’s my favourite, and she’s my dream wicket. She’s also a big player, a match-winner player, so I would love to dismiss her,” she said.Maryam’s cricketing influences extend beyond India. She named Harmanpreet Kaur and Ellyse Perry as two players she admires for completely different reasons.“I love the aggression she has, like, the passion for cricket,” Maryam said of Harmanpreet.On Perry, she added: “She’s the calmest player I watched… her batting, the way she bats and bowls, and taking every situation very calmly. I just love the way she trains and carries herself on and out of the field.”
‘It’s a huge responsibility’ – Maryam on vice-captaincy
Maryam now occupies a leadership position within Hong Kong’s women’s team, serving as vice-captain. She sees the role not as a burden but as an opportunity to influence the next generation.“I think it’s a huge responsibility, and I think it’s a privilege to have this responsibility. I never felt it’s a burden,” she said.“As a player, I need to lead by example. I need to inspire young girls by setting an example for them, like how I train, how I am on and off the field, and how I can carry myself,” she added.Her ambition extends beyond results. She wants to help create a stronger cricketing culture in Hong Kong.“I want Hong Kong cricket to be better, not just by result, but also the belief and the culture way,” she said.
‘Sharing the pitch with India will inspire our girls’
Maryam believes playing against India can have an impact that goes far beyond the result. For Hong Kong’s young players, sharing the stage with established international stars offers an opportunity to learn directly from the best and gain exposure to a much bigger audience.“Sharing the pitch… and also getting to know them, and if we get a chance to talk, and sharing the experience what they have, and learning from them will really inspire most of the girls who are here,” she said.“It will also give our Hong Kong girls broadcast visibility and everything, so I feel like it will be a good growth for them,” Maryam added.While Maryam insists Hong Kong will give their best against all their opponents, she acknowledged that the clash against fellow associate side Thailand is a particularly important target.“We should be doing our best in the three teams, but let’s be honest about it, we are trying to put our best into the Thailand game,” she said.“My personal target will be to contribute in three departments, whether it’s batting, bowling or fielding. I want to contribute… for a win. Any way possible, I’ll contribute in all departments,” she said.Although bowling remains her favourite discipline, she has been spending more time with the bat in recent months.“Honestly speaking, I love bowling, but the past few months I’ve been batting a lot, so I’m looking forward to bat more,” she said.For Maryam Bibi, therefore, the Women’s Asia Cup is about more than simply facing one of the world’s strongest teams. It is another chapter in a journey that began with tape-ball cricket alongside her father and has taken her to the Hong Kong national side and into a leadership role.Watch ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 starting August 28, 2026, from 8 PM on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD and Sony LIV.
