Shreyanka Patil, the 22-year-old bowling all-rounder, known both for her craft on the field and her candidness off it, recently opened up about her Women’s Premier League (WPL) journey in The Unheard Appeal podcast by NICE Official. She spoke about the sheer determination she put in upon learning that the WPL was on the horizon, the surreal moment of being picked by her favorite team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and the whirlwind experience of the inaugural 2023 season that shaped her as a cricketer and an individual.
Recalling the build-up to the WPL, Shreyanka shared how discussions about it had begun at her academy around 2022. “A couple of years back, we were all sitting in our academy talking—I think WPL might happen,” she said, crediting her coach for guiding her preparations for the elite stage. With the official announcement, excitement kicked in, but there was uncertainty.
“I somewhere knew that RCB is gonna buy a women’s team… but whether I would be part of it was another challenge,” she admitted, adding that she had her fingers crossed, hoping to land a spot in the franchise she had always admired.
Her long-cherished dream of wearing the red and gold jersey became a reality when RCB secured her for INR 10 lakhs in the WPL 2023 auction.
Recalling the auction day, Shreyanka shared how, despite the excitement, she chose to stick to her routine. She hit the gym, went to practice, and tried to focus despite the overwhelming thoughts running through her mind.
Watching the video of her reaction during the auction, she was in tears, realizing how far she had come – from playing at her father’s academy to representing Karnataka and now getting picked by RCB. “Somehow, that auction day gave me a lot of confidence. I started believing that I am something special,” she said.
She watched the auction with her coach, the one who had been by her side throughout her journey. When her name was announced, they shared a hug that meant everything to her. “Whatever I achieve, whatever I do in my life, I share it with him. It’s not just my success, it’s our success,” she said, acknowledging the years of effort they had put in together.
Shortly after the auction, Shreyanka received a call from the RCB management asking her to send a short video expressing her feelings. That’s when the reality of the moment truly sank in. “I am officially on the RCB page,” she thought, overwhelmed with happiness. The idea of sharing space with legends like Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, and Chris Gayle felt surreal.
Shreyanka’s RCB debut on March 6, 2023, was a moment she had long awaited. Playing under lights, in front of a packed Mumbai crowd, filled her with excitement, but nerves kicked in during the team’s bus journey. Seated behind Ellyse Perry and Megan Schutt, she watched them calmly listening to music, completely at ease.
“I was like how are they even so cool and calm, and why am I not like this? And then I somewhere realized they are legends for a reason,” she recalled. In that moment, she knew that with time and experience, she too would reach that stage. She also shared a fun incident where Kanika Ahuja sat beside her, unknowingly holding a book upside down, a sight that momentarily broke her tension.
Shreyanka’s favorite memory from her debut match was something she had never even imagined. Walking in to bat earlier than expected, she was initially overwhelmed. “I didn’t even dream of walking in my debut game in the 11th or 12th over… I was like, just go for it, girl,” she recalled. Determined to enjoy the moment, she faced her first ball against Pooja Vastrakar and confidently pulled it for a boundary.
“Oh my god, the first ball I faced in WPL was a boundary – that too off Pooja Vastrakar’s bowling,” she said. Her quick 23 off 15 balls gave her a massive confidence boost. However, the second innings told a different story. As a bowling all-rounder, she had hoped to make an impact but struggled against Hayley Matthews. “She just took me on, tested my bowling that day. I was blank—2 overs, 32 runs—all happiness went down for me,” she admitted.
Reflecting on WPL 2023, Shreyanka described it as a season of excitement and learning, despite RCB’s struggles. “The first year, I don’t know, it was so much fun, enjoyment. Though we didn’t really do well, we didn’t forget to enjoy the season,” she said.
The attention – from social media, the crowd, and the league itself was all new to her, and she focused on embracing it with a positive mindset. However, losing five games in a row was disappointing, and after the season ended, she was determined to come back stronger. “I was like..I have to work even harder, become a better person, a better player in all three departments,” she said, determined to improve.
Following the inaugural WPL season, Shreyanka’s journey came full circle – from being a passionate RCB fan to becoming a key player for the franchise. The excitement and challenges of her first season only fueled her determination to grow. Her hard work soon paid off, and by the end of 2023, she earned her maiden India call-up, making both her T20I and ODI debuts.
(Quotes sourced from a video posted by NICE Official on YouTube)
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