Sajana Sajeevan, a 30-year-old all-rounder from Wayanad, Kerala scripted a dream debut in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), which has made her a name to remember not just for Mumbai fans, but for cricket enthusiasts everywhere.
It all began with a moment of magic in the 2024 WPL season opener, where Mumbai Indians were chasing a target of 172 against Delhi Capitals. With the match hanging in balance, MI required 5 runs off the final delivery, setting the stage for a thrilling climax. As fate would have it, debutant Sajana was on strike, and she rose to the occasion, holding her nerve to hit a six and seal a stunning victory for her team.
During an exclusive chat with Mumbai Indians, she reflected on the life-changing debut, saying, “Nobody knew me before that day. These days people recognize me and it’s all thanks to Mumbai Indians and the WPL.”
During the chat, her thoughts drifted back to the early days of her cricketing journey. She vividly recalled a memorable encounter with the cricket legend, Gautam Gambhir, which left an indelible mark on her young mind.
In 2016, Gambhir, the current head-coach of Indian Men’s Team visited her home ground, Krishnagiri Stadium in Wayanad, for a Ranji Trophy Match. As a young girl, Sajana was helping out with the team’s training session and her impressive fielding caught Gambhir’s attention.
After interacting with him, Gambhir surprised her with a generous gesture, giving her one of his bats. “He gave me his bat in front of a big crowd and in front of all my friends. It was an amazing feeling,” she recalled. She fondly remembered the moment when Gautam Gambhir called out her name before giving her the bat. “I was like, wow, Gautam sir knows my name”, she exclaimed, reliving the fan-girl moment.
The bat became a motivating factor for her, as she went on to score the fastest century in the Under-23 domestic season, using the same bat.
Fast forward to 2024, Sajana was picked up by Mumbai Indians ahead of WPL 2024 and she found herself living that fan-girl moment all over again. This time, it was with her idol, Harmanpreet Kaur, at the Mumbai Indians camp. “Harman di is not just a player for me. She is my idol, role model, everything,” she gushed.
As she shared the dressing room with Harmanpreet, Sajana drew inspiration from her idol’s batting style, courage, and decision-making. “There are so many things about her, her ability to face any ball with courage, her decision making, her courage. I want to bring all these things into my game,” she said, her admiration for the Mumbai Indians skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur evident.
For Sajana, being part of the Mumbai Indians team was a dream come true, and she was determined to make the most of it, just as she had done with Gambhir’s bat all those years ago.
With 103 runs in 10 innings and 3 wickets in 3 innings in WPL, she has shown glimpses of her talent. As Mumbai Indians take on UP Warriorz on March 6th at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Sajana will be eager to replicate her debut heroics and deliver another match-winning performance for her team.
(Quotes sourced from Mumbai Indians)
Loves all things female cricket