TKR player profile: Samara Ramnath, 15, to create WCPL history

Trinidad and Tobago's Samara Ramnath, 15, will create history for the Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) as the youngest player in the Massy Women's Caribbean Premier League (WCPL). The 2023 tournament bowls off on August 31 in Barbados before shifting to Trinidad.

The all-rounder caught the eyes of cricket fans earlier this year with strong performances for TT's under-19 team in the inaugural West Indies Rising Stars 30-Over Championship and 19 and Under Tri-Nation Girls’ Cricket (TT, Windwards and Barbados).

Both tournaments were hosted in Trinidad and Ramnath had solid contributions as the hosts emerged victorious in each competition.

The off-spinner grabbed a beaver-trick against Barbados in the Tri-Nation series, finishing with six for 11 in a ten-wicket victory.

Ramnath earned a call-up to the Red Force Divas for the CG United Super50 and showed her worth in the senior format with a five-for to dismiss Jamaica for 123. Her impressive effort (five wickets for 13 runs) was not in vain as TT scraped home by one wicket in that match.

In a recent interview with CWI media, Ramnath said she was motivated to play cricket by her brother Rajeev Ramnath, who plays for the TT Under-19 team.

Ramnath, who started playing cricket at age six, said, "As a player, my strength is my off-break bowling and my weakness is running between the wickets, but I also think there is room overall to step up my performance."

Ramnath will be facing one of her other role models, West Indies and Barbados Royals women's captain Hayley Matthews, in the 2023 WCPL. Taking Matthews' wicket would be a dream come true for Ramnath who patterns herself after the talented Bajan.

"Her batting and bowling impress me a lot, and I would like to become a Hayley Matthews in the future."

Although keen to make her name, being relatively unknown in the WCPL could work in Ramnath's favour as she seeks to bamboozle opposition with her spin.