CHENNAI: G Kamalini had a day to remember, scoring 44 runs off 29 balls to help India start its U-19 Asia Cup campaign in Malaysia with a win. But that was not all—back home in Bengaluru, she was bought by the Mumbai Indians (MI) for Rs 1.60 crore in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction.
"I'm not sure if we've ever been this happy, even when she was born. It was a dream come true. We've always dreamed of seeing her in an India shirt, and that happened on Sunday. She was also picked for the WPL, so it was double the celebration," said Saranya, Kamalini's mother, to DT Next.
Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals went head-to-head for the 16-year-old from Tamil Nadu, who has made a name for herself in the domestic circuit with her batting prowess.
Listed with a modest base price of Rs 10 lakh, her final price shot up to Rs 1.60 crore after intense bidding between the teams.
The versatile player, who is also a part-time spinner and wicketkeeper, caught attention when she became the second top-scorer in the U-19 Women’s T20 tournament, amassing 311 runs in 8 matches to help Tamil Nadu win the trophy. She was also praised for her ability to clear the boundaries, smashing 10 sixes in the tournament.
Saranya lauded Kamalini's father for her success, as he was her first coach and always believed in her. He moved the family from Madurai and enrolled her at the CSK Academy, and since then, there has been no looking back. Earlier this year, Kamalini was awarded Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) Cricketer of the Year and was named the U-19 and U-23 best batter at the TNCA Awards.
She was selected for the Asia Cup following her brilliant 79 (not out) of 62 balls in the Youth Tri-Series final against South Africa U-19, where she shared a match-winning partnership with skipper Nikki Prasad (49 off 31) to help India claim the title with 13 balls to spare.
On Sunday, Kamalini was instrumental in helping India defeat Pakistan. After the wicket of Fatima Khan, Kamalini partnered with Sanika Chalke to chase down the small target of 68 runs, securing three points for India to kick off the tournament.