Two Malappuram girls find themselves at heart of Kerala's biggest T20 event

At just 16, Linha and Farha, two friends from Malappuram, have found themselves at the heart of Kerala’s most exciting T20 cricket tournament. The duo, who study in Class 11 at Karvarakund Government School, are scorers at the ongoing Kerala Cricket League (KCL) 2025, which began on August 21 and will conclude on September 7.

For them, cricket has always been more than a game. Neighbours and best friends since Class 3, the girls have played several matches together, including the state school championship and represented Malappuram in inter-district tournaments, where they finished runners-up against Thiruvananthapuram. Today, they have swapped bats and pads for the scorer’s desk.

"Scoring matches is serious work," Linha said. "If we miss even a single ball, the whole record gets disrupted." Scorers play an important role in cricket, by keeping records of every little aspect, from runs scored, wickets taken, overs bowled, to extras given.

"On match days, we report an hour early, collect team sheets after the toss, enter details into the scoring app, and keep a close watch on every ball. After the match, we prepare the summary sheet and get the umpire to sign on it. The senior scorers are very supportive; they guide us whenever we’re unsure," Linha said.

The girls are equally excited to watch the matches unfold each day. “We’re huge fans of Sachin Baby and Sanju Samson,” Farha said. “Sometimes when Sanju hits a boundary, we clap out of excitement before reminding ourselves that we are officials now.” India wicketkeeper batter Sanju is the biggest name in the KCL, which also features IPL sensation Vignesh Puthur and other domestic stars.

Behind their confidence is also a family that has stood firmly by them. Linha’s father is an IT Manager at the Cashew Development Corporation, her mother is a district panchayat member, and her siblings are equally into academics and sports. Farha’s homemaker mother and her brothers, including the one who first guided her into cricket scoring, remain her biggest cheerleaders.

"My brother, a state-level player and a PhD scholar, inspired us to pick up the cricket kit while we were in class 8. He encouraged us to take the scoring classes conducted by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) recently. He told us we could learn, gain experience, and also earn,” Farha said.

Both girls passed their district-level exams together but were doubtful whether they would pass the state-level ones. “They told us calculators weren’t allowed. We were sure we failed. Later, our coach, Pradeep sir, said we passed. That was one of the happiest days for us,” Linha said.

"KCA is also a very secure space for women. They give us accommodation a day before the match starts. They provide Uber service to and from the ground," the duo said.

Their journey is also that of true friendship. “In Class 8, during one of our first matches, Linha hit a boundary. Even before she realised it, I jumped with excitement,” Farha said. “Farha is always the first to clap when I achieve something,” Linha added.

Now in their fourth year as official scorers, Linha and Farha see this as only the beginning. Both aspire to represent their country in the sport.