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BBC Sports Broadcaster Isa Guha sat on a stool wearing a green Saint and Sofia suit.

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Isa Guha Talks Cricket, Fashion, and Being a Champion For Girls in Sport

By Emily Weatherill

You may have seen her on your TV screens talking about cricket, or perhaps you spotted her in Paris at the 2024 Olympics or even by the courts at Wimbledon. Whatever sport you’ve caught Isa Guha broadcasting, you’ll have no doubt of the brilliance of her insightful commentary and presenting. But it wasn’t the broadcasting studio where Isa found her start. She first made a name for herself in 2002 when – aged just 17 – she became the first woman of South Asian Origin to represent England senior women in any sport while playing Test Cricket. 

Earning over 100 caps, she went on to become part of one of the most successful teams in English sporting history, when in 2009, England won two World Cups, an Ashes, and whitewashed Australia in an ODI series. In 2008, she was even recognised as the ICC Number One Women’s Bowler. Impressive is the word that comes to mind.

But for Isa, none of this would have been possible without the encouragement from her Mum. In a male-dominated sport, she relied on her Mum’s motivation to continue playing, and it changed her life for doing so. Now, Isa’s focus is on helping other young girls to take a chance on themselves, and she tries to create the support they need through her charity, Take Her Lead (THL).

We caught up with her on all things THL, cricket, journalism, and fashion to find out more about her journey.

Can you tell us how you got into cricket?

My family originated from India where cricket is the number one sport, so it was already in the genes. My brother was already playing at the local club and my parents saw my interest when I used to chase after the ball in the back garden. With some encouragement from Mum, Dad put me in with the boys team when I was 8. He then went on to start up a women’s section and searched for more opportunities for me to play. I was playing a few different sports but I loved team sport, and cricket is where my true passion was.

Did you always know you wanted to turn it into a professional career?

Women’s cricket wasn’t professional in my time playing for England. In fact I didn’t even know there was an England women’s team until I went to England age-group trials at 11. But I was fast-tracked pretty early because I was playing with the boys and by 2002 I was in the England team where we became semi-professional. I think my desire to play for England stemmed from my first meeting with Claire Taylor and Charlotte Edwards, two players at the start of their journey who went on to become legends of the game.

What is one moment of your cricket career you will never forget?

Winning the World Cup in Australia 2009 was pretty special. We’d been building towards it for a long time and overcoming various setbacks as a team. We’d won 11 consecutive games going into the tournament and there was serious belief between the group. When I first started playing for England we were a pretty average side, and Australia were the dominant force for a long time. So to go on a journey with that group of girls to become the best team in the world, after securing the T20 World Cup and Ashes a few months after the ODI World Cup, is something that I still cherish.

Broadcaster Isa Guha wearing the Saint and Sofia Astrid Blazer in Khaki
Broadcaster Isa Guha wearing the Saint and Sofia Astrid Blazer in Khaki

Do you feel there is a sense of community among women in sport?

Massively. We have a women’s broadcast group and naturally among those I played with, we’ve stayed in touch, and we’re always cheering each other on. I think for so long the women’s game was overlooked, so there’s a common desire amongst the female players, broadcasters, and administrators to raise it up through raising each other up. There’s still a long way to go but the opportunities are coming more frequently.

Tell us about Take Her Lead and what you do for women in sports.

Take Her Lead  is a charity founded in honour of my Mum to promote equality and diversity in cricket and increase participation for women and girls. 

The dropout rate for girls in sport is pretty high. There are lots of reasons why that might be the case but we conducted a survey two years ago and the takeout message was that young girls still didn’t feel that cricket was a game for them. Even more so for girls from an ethnically diverse background, only six have ever played for England. 

I reflected on my own personal journey and I was only able to continue through the support I had from Mum when I felt like I wasn’t fitting in. So, we are addressing retention issues by providing an opportunity to connect with those on the pathway through our THL Champions Programme, and access to opportunity particularly for those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Our beneficiaries are the young girls starting their journey in cricket, we aim to reach 1000 this season, but our 20 THL player champions from the elite pathway are learning a lot too by working with girls from different backgrounds, and hopefully creating more leaders in our sport. 

Similarly, we have a women’s network for those who are involved in the game recreationally to have a safe space for learning and networking. We are also funding research into barriers to entry for South Asian girls in cricket and the importance of female role models in sport.

Why is it so important to provide a space like this for women in sports?

I think for many women there are always challenges being in the minority and the more women that can thrive and stay in our sport means there will be more female role models for everyone in the future which can only be a good thing. There is also a lack of women and girl specific research and so we are aiming to change that.

Isa Guha wearing the brown Amelia Aviator Jacket from Saint and Sofia

What would you say to young girls looking to pursue a career in professional sports, whether that be competing or in journalism?

The time is now. Opportunities are opening up more and more. When you eventually get the chance, I think like in any field or team, there is an element of proving yourself. Never be afraid to ask questions and don’t be afraid of getting it wrong because that’s where you learn the most. For some women, including myself, there has been a feeling in the past that you really couldn’t put a foot wrong, and while that still may be the case in some environments, I think there is generally a better culture of encouragement for women in cricket broadcast that we don’t necessarily see in other sports so this is the time to get involved! 

There’s always a delicate balance to strike of being confident versus being inquisitive but if there is a genuine passion there then that will always shine through. There are many different aspects to broadcast production both on and off camera so I always say just try it all to see what excites you the most. The same with playing – the more you can develop every aspect of your game the more your stocks rise. Ultimately, those that have the ability to display passion, resolve, and resilience are the ones that generally go the furthest but you need a good support network around you.

What is your favourite part of presenting?

I would say the fact that at any given moment there will be absolute chaos but your job is to make it as relaxed for the viewer as possible and bring the best out of the guests. I always follow the rule of drawing out information that you would never have known before, telling the key story, or just having a bit of fun. If I get that blend right then more often than not, the viewer is enjoying their experience. There is a difference working for a free to air broadcaster like the BBC as you can’t assume the viewer understands the nuance as much as the sports fanatic and so getting the balance right when it comes to this has been a fun challenge. I always think if you’re bringing out the personality of the players and having a bit of fun then they become more relatable and easier to watch.

When you’re presenting, what are you looking for in an outfit?

I think glam chic with authority is always a good vibe – I used to wear a lot of dresses but I’m a big fan of a power suit and a vest these days!

And we have to ask, what is your favourite Saint + Sofia piece?

Too many to mention! But I’m really enjoying the boots – I wore the Bowie Stretch Flare Jeans and Dallas Boot to a gig recently and loved it! I also enjoyed wearing my Carmen Yellow Blazer at Wimbledon. I also love my Amelia Aviator Jacket when returning to the English winter!

A model wearing the Saint and Sofia Bowie Stretch Flare Jeans
The suede Dallas ankle boots by Saint and Sofia in khaki
A model wearing the Saint and Sofia Amelia Aviator Jacket in brown leather

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