Ashalata Devi Makes History and Yes She Is Making It All Count!

On October 17, Ashalata Devi made history by becoming the first Indian female football player to reach the remarkable milestone of 100 international appearances, stepping onto the field at Kathmandu's Dasarath Stadium. She achieved the milestone during India's opening match against Pakistan in the SAFF Women's Championships 2024.At just 31 years old, the top defender has come a long way since her debut against Bangladesh in the pre-Olympic competition in Dhaka in March 2011. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) acknowledged her incredible journey, stating,  “When she first put on an Indian shirt in the pre-Olympics in Dhaka against Bangladesh in March 2011, few would have imagined that she would take Indian women's football by storm in quite the way she has.”(Source: Google Images)  Devi: Although we defeated Pakistan, we won't treat them lightly ~ (Source: Google Images) Devi claimed that a good start would enable them to play freely in the subsequent games and that the opening game always sets the tone. India had won 3-0 the last time the two teams faced off. "Playing against a team like Pakistan is always intriguing. We hold them in high regard. As a group, they have expanded. We are not taking them lightly, even if we defeated them the last time. They are well-prepared, driven, and will undoubtedly fight hard," Devi continued. Ashalata, who was born on July 3, 1993, in Imphal, Manipur, began playing football at the age of 13 after becoming enthralled with the males playing the game at school."I never witnessed a females' match, but I always saw boys playing. I asked a teacher at school if I may play with them as well. You need a team to play; you can't do it alone," Ashalata had disclosed. In addition, Devi was selected for the India U-17 squad in 2008 at the age of 15. Born in Imphal, the outstanding athlete started playing football when she was thirteen years old. Prior to joining the New Radiant Women's Football Club of Maldives in 2015, she played football for the Indian Railways side.Devi's Relentless Path to Achievement ~(Source: Google Images) She then played in the Indian Women's League for Gokulam Kerala, Sethu (Madurai), KRYPHSA (Imphal), and Rising Student Club (Cuttack). She is with East Bengal at the moment. Since the championship is a really significant competition for us, I am excited for every match. It would be different this time, she stated in an AIFF announcement, despite the fact that we had experienced a setback in the previous SAFF. India was unable to retain the title in the 2022 edition. "This will be my sixth SAFF performance. Four times, we were champions.It's a great championship for me, therefore I want to win it for us this year. She declared, "We are committed to proving ourselves.  Devi was also a member of the Indian squad that took home two gold medals at the 2016 and 2019 South Asian Games. In 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2019, she was also a squad member that won the SAFF Women's Championship four times in a row. In line with this, she was named the AIFF Women's Player of the Year for 2018–19 and was nominated for the AFC Women's Player of the Year in 2019.