15-year-old USA pacer Rhea Nadkarni clocks 65 mph at WPL trials in Mumbai

The Monank Patel-led USA team is in the city, all set to experience the T20 World Cup, starting in India and Sri Lanka on February 7. But Houston-based 15-year-old fast bowler Rhea Nadkarni, is already experiencing her best cricketing memories in the City of Dreams.

Rhea, a Std IX student and 5’9’’ tall cricketer, who started playing the game seriously at the age of eight, taking inspiration from father Sushil, a former Maharashtra Ranji Trophy opener, who led the USA national team later and elder brother Aarin, 19, clocked an impressive 65 mph (100 kmph) and emerged fastest in the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) Speed Queen contest selection trials held at the Air India ground in Kalina on January 26.

Rhea Nadkarni (centre) with her father Sushil (left) and grandfather Uday Ajgaonkar at their residence in Dadar on Saturday. PICS/SHADAB KHAN

Recalling her experience during the trials, Rhea said: “I was really surprised by how many girls turned up trials, so I was a bit nervous, because we just came into the trials not knowing much about. I was expecting a speed between 58 to 60mph in my first ball, but my spike got stuck, and I ended up clocking 52 mph. But one of the selectors, Khyati Gulani, said, ‘This girl has a very good action, good [bowling] mechanics.’ So, she gave me a second chance in a different net and there I bowled at 63 mph, so it was a big improvement. After that I climbed speed to 64 and my last ball was 65 mph, which is the fastest in the U-19 category,” Rhea told Sunday mid-day on Saturday.  

Rhea practises for two-three hours daily and plays matches on weekends in Houston. “I always wanted to do fast bowling. My favourite bowler is [South African] Shabnim Ismail because she’s the fastest in the world. I aspire to be like her. My first goal is to make the USA senior women’s team, so that I’m eligible to play in the WPL. For the past year and a half, I’m being coached in fast bowling by former Sri Lankan Test pacer Sujeewa de Silva,” revealed Rhea.

Her immediate goal, though, is the final trials on Monday (Feb 2) here in Mumbai: “I’m not sure if I will get selected because there are quite a few girls from across the country who are shortlisted, but I’ll do my best.”

Rhea’s father Sushil, who also represented India U-19 before shifting base to USA in 1999, revealed how his family decided to get Rhea for the WPL trials. “We got to know about the trials just two weeks before and sent her bowling videos to the organisers. When her videos got accepted, we felt this is something she should try because she might  do well because of her fast bowling,” Nadkarni revealed.

“I expected Rhea to clock somewhere between 63 and 65 mph because she does that in the USA. But when we actually saw that she’s the fastest here, it felt very satisfying to know that she has the talent,” said Nadkarni, adding that his daughter began troubling older boys with her speed and accuracy when she was just 12.