Rhea Nadkarni, a 15-year-old fast bowler from Houston, has made numerous trips to Mumbai to connect with her grandfather, Uday Ajgaonkar, at his Dadar residence. During her visits, this Class IX student, standing tall at five-foot-nine, has had the chance to practice at various maidans around the city. However, this particular trip has turned out to be exceptionally memorable for both her and her family.
Rhea showcased her impressive skills by clocking 104.61 kmph, earning her a commendable third place in the U-19 all-India final round of the inaugural Women’s Premier League (WPL) Speed Queen selection trials held at Islam Gymkhana on Monday. Palak Singh from Nagpur took the top spot with a speed of 106 kmph, while Anshika Yadav from Lucknow followed closely in second at 105 kmph. Notably, Rhea had secured her place in this final round by topping the initial selection stage at the Air India ground in Kalina on January 26, also hitting the same speed of 104.61 kmph.
Reflecting on her achievement, Rhea expressed, “I’m grateful to claim third place because all the girls were bowling exceptionally fast. I’m happy with my performance.” Competing against 40 other talented pacers in the final round, Rhea first bowled one over, later stepping up for a second after making it into the top three. “It has been a wonderful experience. I felt a bit nervous at the start, but I managed to elevate my game,” she added, revealing her aspirations to join the USA women’s cricket team, which would pave her way to the WPL.
Proud of his daughter, Rhea’s father, Sushil, who represented India U-19 and played in the Ranji Trophy before moving to the USA in 1999, praised her performance. “Considering the caliber of the other two girls, they were undeniably faster, but I’m proud of Rhea’s effort. She truly gave her all,” stated Nadkarni Sr.