Teen fast bowler Rhea Nadkarni turns heads at WPL Speed Queen trials - Mid-Day

The Monank Patelled USA team is in the city all set to experience the T20 World Cup starting in India and Sri Lanka on February 7 But Houstonbased 15yearold fast bowler Rhea Nadkarni is already experiencing her best cricketing memories in the City of DreamsRhea a Std IX student and 5rsquo9rsquorsquo 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 Womenrsquos Premier League WPL Speed Queen contest selection trials held at the Air India ground in Kalina on January 26Rhea Nadkarni centre with her father Sushil left and grandfather Uday Ajgaonkar at their residence in Dadar on Saturday PICSSHADAB KHANRecalling her experience during the trials Rhea said ldquoI 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 lsquoThis girl has a very good action good bowling mechanicsrsquo 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 U19 categoryrdquo Rhea told Sunday midday on Saturday Rhea practises for twothree hours daily and plays matches on weekends in Houston ldquoI always wanted to do fast bowling My favourite bowler is South African Shabnim Ismail because shersquos the fastest in the world I aspire to be like her My first goal is to make the USA senior womenrsquos team so that Irsquom eligible to play in the WPL For the past year and a half Irsquom being coached in fast bowling by former Sri Lankan Test pacer Sujeewa de Silvardquo revealed RheaHer immediate goal though is the final trials on Monday Feb 2 here in Mumbai ldquoIrsquom not sure if I will get selected because there are quite a few girls from across the country who are shortlisted but Irsquoll do my bestrdquoRhearsquos father Sushil who also represented India U19 before shifting base to USA in 1999 revealed how his family decided to get Rhea for the WPL trials ldquoWe 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 bowlingrdquo Nadkarni revealedldquoI expected Rhea to clock somewhere between 63 and 65 mph because she does that in the USA But when we actually saw that shersquos the fastest here it felt very satisfying to know that she has the talentrdquo said Nadkarni adding that his daughter began troubling older boys with her speed and accuracy when she was just 12