Minnu Mani: Difference between revisions

| image              = Minnu Mani.jpg

| batting            = Left-handed

| bowling            = Right-arm [[off break]]

| website            =

|      lastT20Idate = 13 July

|          T20Ishirt =

| year1              = 2014/15–present

| year2              = 2023–present

| clubnumber2        =

'''Minnu Mani''' (born 24 March 1999) is an Indian international [[cricket]]er who represents the [[India women's national cricket team|Indian women's national team]]. She plays for [[Delhi Capitals (WPL)|Delhi Capitals]] in [[Women's Premier League (cricket)|Women's Premier League]]. In domestic cricket, she represents [[Kerala women's cricket team|Kerala]] cricket team. She became the first Kerala woman cricketer to play for [[India women's national cricket team|India]].

Minnu hails from Choyimoola in [[Wayanad district]] of [[Kerala]]. Her father, Mani CK, is a daily wage labourer and her mother, Vasantha, is a homemaker. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/minnu-mani-labourer-s-daughter-becomes-first-from-kerala-to-make-indian-women-s-cricket-team-news-300117|title=Minnu Mani, Labourer's Daughter, Becomes First From Kerala to Make Indian Women's Cricket Team |work=Outlook India|access-date=6 July 2023}}</ref> She has a younger sister, Mimitha.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/sports/features/minnu-mani-interview-who-earns-maiden-india-call-up-1.8700070|title='സ്‌പെഷ്യല്‍ ക്ലാസുണ്ടെന്നുവരെ പറഞ്ഞ് ക്രിക്കറ്റ് കളിക്കാന്‍ പോയിട്ടുണ്ട്' - മിന്നുമണി |work=Mathrubhumi|access-date=6 July 2023|language=ml}}</ref> She studied at Mananthavady Government Vocational Higher Secondary School, Edappady till Grade 8 and St Sebastian Highschool, [[Thodupuzha]] till Grade 10. She completed her higher secondary education at Sarvajana Higher Secondary School, [[Sulthan Bathery]] and graduated from [[Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.madhyamam.com/sports/cricket/minnu-mani-first-malayalee-women-in-indian-cricket-1177458|title=മിന്നുകയാണു കേരളത്തിന്റെ പൊന്നുമണി |work=Madhyamam|access-date=6 July 2023|language=ml}}</ref> As of 2023, she is pursuing her [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in [[Sociology]] through distance learning.<ref name=".0"/>

She started playing cricket at 10 with boys at paddy fields. Initially, her family didn't support the idea of her playing cricket. Her physical education teacher, Elsamma noticed her skill and took her to selection trials of the [[Wayanad district|Wayanad]] District Under-13 team. The next year, she played in the Kerala U-16 team and represented Kerala at the senior level aged 16. Minnu had to travel one and a half hours daily, switching four buses to reach the nearest stadium from her home for cricket practice.<ref name=".0">{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/meet-minnu-mani-tribal-woman-cricketer-kerala-who-s-set-play-india-179343|title=Meet Minnu Mani, tribal woman cricketer from Kerala who's set to play for India |work=The News Minute|access-date=6 July 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/wpl/wpl-auction-tribal-girl-minnu-mani-reaps-rich-rewards-for-her-sacrifices/articleshow/97904549.cms?from=mdr|title=WPL Auction: Tribal girl Minnu Mani reaps rich rewards for her sacrifices |work=The Times of India|access-date=6 July 2023}}</ref>

In February 2023, she was bought by the [[Delhi Capitals (WPL)|Delhi Capitals]] in the WPL auction ahead of the [[2023 Women's Premier League (cricket)|2023 Women's Premier League]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sudarshanan |first1=S |title=Bid-by-bid updates - 2023 WPL auction |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/live-blog/live-blog-2023-wpl-auction-1358703 |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=6 July 2023 |date=13 February 2023}}</ref>

In July 2023, she was called up to the Indian team [[India women's cricket team in Bangladesh in 2023|touring Bangladesh]], making her the first female cricketer from Kerala to earn an India call-up.<ref>{{cite web |title=India's tour of Bangladesh: Minnu Mani becomes the first from Kerala to get picked in Indian women's squad  |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/cricket/indias-tour-of-bangladesh-minnu-mani-becomes-the-first-from-kerala-to-get-picked-in-indian-womens-squad/article67037214.ece |website=The Hindu |access-date=6 July 2023}}</ref> She made her [[Women's Twenty20 International cricket]] (WT20I) debut for India Women against [[Bangladesh women's national cricket team|Bangladesh Women]] on 9 July 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1382163.html|title=1st T20I, Mirpur, July 09, 2023, India Women tour of Bangladesh |work=ESPN Cricinfo|access-date=9 July 2023}}</ref> She finished the series as India's highest wicket-taker, with 5 wickets from three matches.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/series/bowling-most-wickets-career/india-women-in-bangladesh-t20i-series-2023-15514/women-s-twenty20-internationals-10|title=India Women tour of Bangladesh- Records |work=ESPN Cricinfo|access-date=13 July 2023}}</ref> On 15 July 2023, she was named in India's squad for 19th Asian Games.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harmanpreet Kaur to lead as BCCI announces India men's and women's squads for 19th Asian Games |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/bcci-announces-indias-womens-squad-for-19th-asian-games-at-hangzhou-8837968/|website=The Indian Express|access-date=23 July 2023}}</ref>

 

*After Minnu's international debut, in July 2023, [[Thalassery]]-Valliyoorkavu junction in [[Mananthavady]] panchayath in her home district [[Wayanad district|Wayanad]] was named after her.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2023/jul/15/mananthavady-honours-minnu-mani-by-renaming-major-junction-after-her-2594960.html|title=Mananthavady honours Minnu Mani by renaming major junction after her|work=The New Indian Express|access-date=23 July 2023}}</ref>

[[Category:Asian Games medalists in cricket]]

[[Category:Cricketers at the 2022 Asian Games]]

[[Category:Medalists at the 2022 Asian Games]]