Who is Vrinda Dinesh? 5 things to know about batter bought for Rs. 1.3 crore by UP Warriorz in WPL 2024 auction
The WPL 2024 auction was a red-letter day in the life of Vrinda Dinesh. Vrinda, whose base price was Rs. 10 lakhs, was acquired for a whopping sum of Rs. 1.3 crores by the UP Warriorz franchise.
Vrinda was the second-most expensive Indian player to be picked in the WPL 2024 auction. After intense bidding between three franchises, UP Warriorz emerged victorious.
On that note, here are five things to know about Vrinda Dinesh, who created history during the 2024 WPL auction:
#1 Belongs to a family of cricketers
Vrinda is not the first player in her family to play cricket. Her father, uncle, and cousin all played cricket at club level. Her family's association with cricket egged her to take on the game, and she has not looked back since then.
#2 Hails from Karnataka
Karnataka has produced many great cricketers who have played for India, and Vrinda seems to be following in their footsteps. She has been a prolific run-getter for Karnataka in the past couple of domestic seasons.
Earlier this year, Vrinda in the Senior Women’s One-Day competition scored 477 runs at an average of 47.70 and was the third-highest run-getter in the tournament.
#3 The youngster is a top-order batsman and a handy bowler
Vrinda Dinesh is just 22 years old and has made rapid strides in the game of cricket. She usually bats in the top three. Though she cannot be termed an all-rounder, Vrinda is a handy leg-spinner and can roll her arm over.
Her aggressive mindset at the top of the order and her occasional leg spin make her a handy pick for the UP franchise in the upcoming WPL season.
#4 Vrinda Dinesh idolises Virat Kohli and Meg Lanning
The 22-year-old youngster idolizes Virat Kohli and is also in awe of the former Aussie skipper, Meg Lanning. Lanning was a part of the Australian women's team that won seven World Cup titles during her international career.
Lanning was one of the most successful captains and batters to have played the game of cricket, and Vrinda could learn a trick or two from her idol.
#5 Came into the limelight during the finals of the ACC Emerging Teams Cup in Hongkong
Vrinda Dinesh was initially not a part of the squad that participated in the ACC Emerging Teams Cup in Hong Kong earlier this year. An injury to pacer S Yashasri led to her inclusion in the Indian squad, and Vrinda, straight off the flight, played in the finals of the said tournament.
The batter from Karnataka did not disappoint, and on a sluggish wicket against an experienced and strong Bangladesh bowling line-up, she scored 36 runs from just 29 balls and guided her team to victory.
Vrinda, with her strong performances, is knocking the doors for selection in the national team and could be a part of the same shortly following impressive performances for her franchise in the 2024 WPL season.