TWENTY-ONE-YEAR-OLD University of Guyana (UG) fourth-year Biology student Tilleya Madramootoo, has proved that education can go hand-in-hand with sport when she returned home as one of seven Guyanese ladies who were a part the Women Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) Champions, Guyana Amazon
Warriors (GAWs), which won its first-ever WCPL title.
Tilleya, who plays for Malteenoes, represented Demerara and Guyana women’s senior teams before being selected for the Limacol WCPL.
Although Tilleya is pursuing a Bachelors degree in Biology she still finds time for playing cricket at the regional level for Guyana and the WCPL.
She is an inspiration for girls who were told that academics and sport can’t be done at the same time successfully.
“I don’t have one particular favourite cricketer, but I would say Smriti Mandhana and Shabnim Ismail. I admire Smriti’s batting, while having the opportunity to watch Shabnim bowl up close
with the Guyana Amazon Warriors has made me really appreciate her skills as a fast bowler.

In terms of my most memorable moment in cricket, previously, I would have said scoring my first half-century in an inter- county tournament, and that will always be special to me.

But now, I would say being part of the Guyana Amazon
Warriors Women’s team in the WCPL and winning the tournament is my most memorable moment. It was an incredible experience and something I will always remember.
I have learnt a lot from being around experienced players and seeing the level of cricket required at this stage. Being part of a championship-winning team was an amazing feeling. It was a great experience to celebrate that achievement with my team-mates and to know that I was part of something special”
added Tilleya.
“One of the main challenges for me is not having enough games to play. I try to make up for that by training regularly and playing club cricket with the male players at Malteenoes. I would like to see more games and opportunities for female players to help them gain experience and develop,” lamented Tilleya, whose aim is to do well for Guyana and get into the West Indies team.
Tilleya, who was born on July 27, 2005, in Georgetown, explained that from a young age she has always been interested in pursuing medicine, which led her to study Biology at UG.

“So far, balancing my studies and cricket has not been too challenging, it mainly comes down to scheduling, timing, and discipline. Whenever I have the time available, I try to attend
training sessions while also making sure I stay on top of my studies.
My parents, Noel and Indira Madramootoo, have always encouraged me to pursue cricket, but at the same time, they made it clear that my education was equally important.
They wanted me to have a strong academic foundation while also giving me the opportunity to develop my talent in cricket.
They have always supported me in both areas and encouraged me to work hard, stay disciplined, and make sure that neither my studies nor my cricket suffered because of the other” disclosed Tilleya, who has two brothers, Valon Madramootoo and Noel Jr Madramootoo
Tilleya’s entire early education was at Mae’s Schools, where she attended nursery, primary, and secondary schools.
“I joined the Malteenoes Cricket Club in 2022 after attending one of their cricket camps along with my younger brother. I really enjoyed the environment, the structure of the sessions, and the level of coaching being offered.
My parents also saw the value in what the club provided, so they enrolled both my brother and me as members. It became an important step in my development as a cricketer and helped me grow in the game” continued the batting all-rounder.
I knew I wanted to play cricket seriously when I first played for the senior national team in 2023. Experiencing cricket at that level opened my eyes to the opportunities available and
motivated me to work harder and continue developing as a cricketer.
“There isn’t one particular person I would single out. I have had many coaches throughout my journey who have contributed to my development and continue to do so. Malteenoes, has also played an important role in my growth as a cricketer.” concluded Tilleya.