FROM APARTMENT CRICKET TO WC GLORY: K’taka’s Mithila on the right path to success

Bengaluru: In a cricket match organised by her apartment complex, an 11-year-old girl caught the eye of a keen observer, who immediately approached her father and insisted that her talent in the game should not go to waste. That same talent was later part of India’s historic double in the U-19 T20 World Cup, which recently concluded in Malaysia. She is none other than Mithila Vinod, an all-rounder ready to make her mark on the big stage.

After impressing for Karnataka, Mithila was left out of India's squad for the 2023 edition, in which India defeated England. But the snub only fueled her determination. “I had manifested and pictured this moment,” she said. Summing up her World Cup campaign in one word "Awesome" Mithila described the pride of wearing the national flag and emblem on her back as an “overwhelming” feeling. Her love for cricket was nurtured by accompanying her father, Vinod, to matches. Vinod played “corporate cricket,” and Mithila would often join him at the grounds, playing with men. Perhaps that deep-seated pride stemmed from the fearless approach she developed while wielding the bat or ball. Mithila and her “best friend” and Karnataka teammate, Niki Prasad, shared the World Cup journey together.

“We push each other to our limits. There’s no better feeling than representing the country and winning matches with your best buddy,” she said. Mithila idolises Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry but sees her playing style as similar to India's Hardik Pandya. “I find my game resembling his,” she added.

Though she has made a name for herself in the T20 format, Mithila now aims to prove her prowess in longer formats. “I find One-Day matches exciting, but the Women’s Premier League (WPL) offers the perfect platform to shine,” she said.