Lockdown transforms life: 16-year-old becomes WPL crorepati, meet Kamalini who rattles Pakistan

Surprisingly, Kamalini was a skater until the age of 12, showing no interest in cricket. However, the lockdown dramatically changed her life.

Cricketer G Kamalini Profile: While the Women’s Premier League (WPL 2025) mini-auction was underway in Bengaluru, India’s wicketkeeper-batter, G Kamalini, was making headlines in Kuala Lumpur during the Under-19 Asia Cup, smashing Pakistan’s hopes. Kamalini played a stellar unbeaten innings of 44 runs against Pakistan on Sunday. This memorable performance marked a significant turning point in her career, culminating in Mumbai Indians placing a Rs 1.6 crore bid on her at the WPL mini-auction.

Surprisingly, Kamalini was a skater until the age of 12, showing no interest in cricket. However, the lockdown dramatically changed her life.

During the 2020 nationwide lockdown, Kamani’s father, Gunalan, used to play cricket outside their home with his son. One day, he asked his 12-year-old daughter, Kamani, to bowl. Her father was astonished by her natural talent, despite her having never played cricket before, only regularly practising skating.

Shifting from Madurai to Chennai for Cricket

Due to the lack of proper cricket training facilities in Madurai, Kamani’s family relocated to Chennai. She was soon selected for the Chennai Super Kings academy, impressing the coaching staff with her hard work and dedication. She was subsequently chosen for the Tamil Nadu Under-19 team and was also recognised as Tamil Nadu’s best young female cricketer.

A century after Father’s Surgery

Kamani credits her father as her biggest strength. She recounts a period where she feared losing him, but thankfully, he recovered. Following her father’s heart surgery, she played in a match between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh the very next day and scored a century, demonstrating remarkable resilience and determination.

Becoming a Wicketkeeper in Six Months

Former Tamil Nadu cricketer, Aarthi Sankaran, highlights Kamani’s natural talent and her rapid progress. She became a wicketkeeper within six months of training. Sankaran expresses hope that Kamani will have a long and successful career, unlike many who give up along the way.