Hailing from Kerala, Minnu Mani has emerged as a talented all-rounder in Indian women cricket. She etched her name in history as the first woman from her state to don the Indian jersey in July 2023. Her journey is a testament to the power of passion and perseverance. Minnu, 25, plays for Delhi Capitals in Women’s Premier League.
Ahead of her third WPL season with Delhi Capitals, she shared insights on her growth, challenges, and the experience of playing at the highest level in an exclusive interaction with Female Cricket. She also talked about her early cricketing days in Kerala and her goals for WPL 2025.
When asked about being the face of Kerala cricket, Minnu Mani expressed her gratitude for the journey that brought her to this stage. She humbly admitted, “I am so lucky because when I first started, I never thought I’d become one of the best players in Kerala. But they helped me a lot. Training under the Kerala Cricket Association Academy has helped me improve as a cricketer.”
Recalling her initial days in cricket, she shared that her passion for the game began at home, playing with her cousin. While he was always eager to bat, she naturally took up bowling. What started as a fun activity at home soon extended to the paddy fields, where she played alongside her cousins. However, she was the only girl among them, and it was her cousin’s enthusiasm for the game that initially pushed her to take up cricket more seriously.
Minnu Mani’s journey in cricket was filled with challenges, especially in her early years. Initially, she hid her passion from her parents. “My parents didn’t know I started playing cricket, I used to lie to them that I had extra class or something (to travel for matches),” she said.
It was only when she was selected for the Wayanad district team that her school teacher informed them. Later, when she earned a spot at the Kerala Cricket Academy, her parents were reluctant to send her, but her cousins convinced them.
Financial struggles made things even tougher, as she had to travel long hours for training, saying, “From home to go for training, it’s 1.5 hours one way, up and down three hours, and I need to change four buses.” Minnu recalled. With no stable income apart from farming, her family couldn’t afford the costs, but her determination kept her going.
Coming from a community where traditional norms restricted girls, she had to break barriers to pursue her passion. “My parents and relatives used to tell me, that you’re a girl, you can’t play cricket, it’s a men’s game,” she said. “So, coming out from all of that and doing something I love was challenging for me,” she admitted, with a bright smile.
On being asked about how special the India cap was for her, Minnu Mani expressed immense gratitude, calling it a long-awaited dream come true. She had been working towards it for more than 9-10 years, but the timing took her by surprise. “Unexpectedly, it came after the first season of WPL,” she said, admitting she hadn’t performed as well as she wanted and wasn’t expecting the call.
However, the moment became even more special when she received the cap from Smriti Mandhana, one of her favorites. Overwhelmed with emotions, she recalled, “I was fully excited but blank—I wanted to cry, I wanted to laugh.
“I am so happy that I am able to communicate with them, and I hope this season I will be interacting more with them,” she reflected while talking about her experience of sharing the dressing room with players like Meg Lanning, Marizanne Kapp and Alice Capsey.
The interview concluded with Minnu Mani sharing her goals for the upcoming WPL season. She aims to play more matches than last year and is confident in her role within the team. “I know my role, I know in particular situations what the team is expecting me to do, so hopefully, I will do,” she said with determination.
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