Minnu Mani, the Keralite all-rounder who has been a key player for Kerala Women, will no longer represent her home state in domestic cricket. Instead, she will now play for Railways, as she has been designated as a Railway employee.
Recently, on tour of Australia, Mani displayed outstanding form, taking an impressive 11-wicket haul in the One-Off four-day game between India A and Australia A, claiming five wickets in the first innings and six in the second.
Mani began her domestic career with Kerala at the age of 16 and made history last year as the first female cricketer from Kerala to represent India. She debuted for the national team in the T20Is against Bangladesh on July 9, 2023, where she claimed five wickets across three innings.
Now, during the India A tour of Australia, she captained the India A team throughout the series. The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) had hoped that their captain, Minnu Mani, would continue her domestic career with Kerala. However, it is understood that Railways requires its employees to represent only its team. This policy also impacts Kerala-born cricketers Asha Sobhana, Sajeevan Sajna, and many others who are also employed by Railways.
Minnu Mani has consistently performed for Kerala in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy over the years. In her first season, 2014-15, she played 4 matches and took 5 wickets. The following year, 2015-16, she improved her performance, claiming 9 wickets in 6 matches. Her success continued in 2017-18, where she took 11 wickets in 7 matches. In 2018-19, she managed 6 wickets from 7 matches. After a gap, Minnu returned in the 2021-22 season, taking 5 wickets in 7 matches. In the 2022-23 season, she was back in form with 9 wickets in 6 matches. Most recently, in the 2023-24 season, she played 8 matches and took 7 wickets.
In the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy, Minnu has consistently performed across several seasons. In the 2016-17 season, she took 6 wickets in 6 matches. The next season, 2017-18, saw her claim 7 wickets in 5 matches. She continued to shine in 2018-19 with 10 wickets from 8 matches. After a brief break, she returned in 2020-21 with an impressive 11 wickets in just 5 matches. Her form remained strong in 2021-22, where she took 12 wickets in 5 matches. The 2022-23 season was another successful one, with Minnu taking 12 wickets in 8 matches. Most recently, in the 2023-24 season, she played 3 matches and secured 7 wickets.