A Southall schoolgirl has won a national cricket award and been praised as being the ‘driving force’ behind the sport at her school.

Year 10 pupil Muskan Ratti from Featherstone High School was announced as Young Leader of the Year at the annual Chance to Shine Awards last week (2 November). She was presented her award by former England cricketer James Taylor, who is now a commentator.

You can watch a video (above) of Muskan that was made by Chance to Shine.

Chance to Shine is a charity set up in 2005 to reverse the decline of cricket in state schools. By providing coaching in schools and extra-curricular opportunities, the charity has reached nearly 12,000 state schools and more than three million young people, including approximately one-and-a-half million girls.

At the awards ceremony, coaches, clubs, schools, pupils and volunteers were all recognised for their work promoting grassroots cricket.

Special guests at the event, held at the famed ‘home of cricket’ Lord’s, included England batsman Jason Roy, who is a Chance to Shine ambassador; and Sky Sports TV presenter Sarah-Jane Mee, who hosted the event at the sports ground.

Muskan is the first girl at Featherstone to join an external cricket club and the school said she acts a role model for her peers and younger students. Sharon Eyers from Middlesex Cricket Board further praised Muskan, calling her “the driving force behind cricket at Featherstone.”