Women's T20 Challenge: Who is Velocity's leg-spinner Maya Sonawane?
The fourth edition of the Women's T20 Challenge concluded on Saturday. Supernovas trumped Velocity by four runs to clinch their third T20 honor. Velocity's 23-year-old leg-spinner Maya Sonawane grabbed eyeballs throughout the tournament. The leg-spinner, who has a quirky bowling action involving various contortions of her body, conceded 0/19 on her debut against Supernovas. Here, we present her journey.
The action has always felt natural to me, says Sonawane
"The action has always felt natural to me. That's how I have bowled ever since I first decided to try bowling from the popping crease and not run in from a distance to deliver the ball," said Sonawane in a report in ESPNCricinfo. The uncapped Indian player added that her action changed the day she decided to bowl from close to the crease.
Sonawane's bowling action draws similarity with Adams, Kaushik
Sonawane considers Shane Warne and Rashid Khan as her idols. Her bowling action, similar to a frog in a blender, has been drawing attention over the last few days. Sonawane might remind one of former Proteas cricketer Paul Adams and former Gujarat Lions player Shivil Kaushik. Both Kaushik and Adams bowl left-arm wrist spin, while Sonawane is a right-arm bowler.
Deepti, Mandhana heap praise on Sonawane
Velocity's captain, Deepti Sharma, lauded the youngster's bowling prowess "Her [Sonawane] control over her lines and lengths are very good, which makes her somebody who's ready to take on challenges and bowl the kind of deliveries a captain may require her to in a situation," she said. Trailblazers' captain Smriti Mandhana shared a similar sentiment.
Sonawane shone in the Senior Women's T20 League
Prior to the Women's T20 Challenge, Sonawane shone in the Senior Women's T20 League. She pocketed two four-fers across eight matches. She finished fourth on the list of leading wicket-takers and was one of the pivotal players behind Maharashtra's runner-up in the tournament.
Presenting Sonawane's early life
Sonawane hails from a humble background in Sinnar, near Nashik, Maharashtra. She was just eight when she came across the backyard of their local corporator who was playing cricket with his daughter. That moment marked her introduction to cricket. At 11, Sonawane appeared for the trials for the Nashik District Cricket Association (NDCA) team. She then started training under Shivaji Jadhav.
Sonawane's rise in the world of cricket
Sonawane found success in the inter-district competition in 2013-14. That eventually got her a call-up for the Under-19 Maharashtra side. She wasn't given a single game that season. However, she came back strong next year, scalping 23 wickets in a span of nine matches. She finished as the leading wicket-taker in the tournament. Those numbers paved her way into Maharashtra's senior squad.
