As she watched the telecast of the WPL auction on Monday night, Minnu Mani’s hopes began to fade when she found that big stars were going unsold. “Who is going to buy me when famous players are being overlooked?” she said to herself. So she was in for a big surprise when more than one franchise took an interest in her. She was bought for ₹30 lakh by Delhi Capitals. “It is a lot of money, but it is the recognition that matters more,” Minnu told The Hindu over phone from Hyderabad, where she is playing for South Zone in the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal One-Day tournament. “Though I had hopes of being part of the WPL, I had nearly given up early on in the auction.” The 23-year-old off-spinning all-rounder has been in good form going into the auction. On Sunday, she had made an unbeaten 74 to help South Zone beat West Zone at Hyderabad. A tribal girl from Kerala’s Wayanad district, she hails from a humble background. She is the only player from the State to get picked at the auction. “Though I am disappointed that other Kerala players could not make it, I am happy at least one of us is there,” Minnu said. “And I am thrilled that I will be joining the Delhi team. I have already played with Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma.” Biju George, the Delhi Capitals’ fielding coach, said Minnu was a complete package. “She is one of the best fielders in the country,” he said. “I have been watching her for a long time and she has impressed me with her bowling, shots and of course fielding.” He believes the break has come at the right time for her. “And it is great to see a cricketer from Kerala has made it to the WPL,” Biju said. “Minnu has the potential to go far.”
