Young cricketers grow up shouldering a dream—a dream of representing their nation and making themselves proud of the hard work they have put in. Such is the story of India Women’s Under-19 World Cup-winning captain, Niki Prasad, who made the tricolour soar high in Malaysia by leading an invincible India to a triumphant podium finish. As a new edition of the WPL knocks on the door, cricketers have begun gathering under one roof to commence their training sessions.
In a recent video shared by Delhi Capitals, Prasad received one of the most wholesome receptions as she arrived at the pre-season camp in Pune. The Delhi Capitals franchise, co-owned by the JSW and GMR groups, celebrated Prasad’s arrival with enthusiasm.
The 19-year-old made her way down the aisle and was greeted by her teammates in an adorable manner. She was first draped in the national flag, followed by Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues welcoming her with a garland.
Teammates Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Titas Sadhu, Taniyaa Bhatia, Radha Yadav, Nandini Kashyap and Arundhati Reddy were present in attendance for a resounding reception. A grateful Niki Prasad said, “To be honest, I expected that there would be cameras, but I didn’t expect players being there to welcome me. But obviously, it made me very happy and I’m thankful to all the players for such a grand welcome.”
On being asked about the calm and composed demeanour of the team in an all-intense final, she highlighted, “The important thing was that we were calm and composed during the finals. We just went out there and expressed ourselves. That’s why we looked a more dominating side. My message to the players was very simple, go out there, just have fun, enjoy and dominate.”
Sharing the dressing room with icons like Meg Lanning, Marizanne Kapp, and Annabel Sutherland, alongside Indian stars Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma, would be a surreal experience for the teenager. She will strive to embrace each opportunity and imbibe priceless lessons as she navigates this transformative chapter in her career.
Following an impressive season with the national team, the right-handed batting all-rounder is set to make her debut in the WPL. She shared her enthusiasm for participating in the tournament, viewing it as a great platform to sharpen the skills and gain new-found knowledge.
“Being a part of WPL team is a great opportunity for the youngsters to learn from other players. I’m very grateful to DC that they have shown faith in me. Coming into this franchise, I’m going to learn a lot and more importantly, will try to contribute as much as I can and win it for the team,” she added.
“The future of Indian women’s cricket is so bright,” voiced Ian Bishop at the victory moment of the World Cup- well- it is true and may it continue to prosper.
Delhi Capitals will face inaugural champions Mumbai Indians in their first game on February 15 at Vadodara and will be ready to roar and clinch their maiden WPL title.
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