WPL 2024: Meet Sajana, who went from facing devastation in Kerala floods in 2018 to hitting a famous first-ball six for MI vs DC
Challenges, whether on the field or off the field, are not new to Sajana Sajeevan. The 29-year-old came out to bat for the first time in her Women’s Premier League (WPL) career, possibly with the most difficult task in cricket.
Mumbai Indians needed 5 runs off 1 ball. She nervelessly deposited the ball over wide-long on for a six to cap off a memorable win for the defending champions against Delhi Capitals and became the talk of the town.
Flashback to August 2018. Sajana had been picked to play for India Reds in the Women’s Challenger Trophy to be held in Bengaluru. But there was a catch. As Kerala reeled under the devastating floods, especially Sajana’s hometown of Mananthavady in Wayanad, she was stuck at home and time was running out.
‘There was water all around us and there was no way to get out of the house. I was sure that I was going to miss the matches. Not only us, but our neighbours were also trying to escape from the floods,’ Sajana recalled during an interaction with The Indian Express in December after the WPL auction in which the Mumbai Indians picked her up for Rs 15 lakh.
Luckily, the police came to Sajana’s help with boats just in the nick of time during the floods. ‘I took my cricket kit and a few clothes and hopped on to the boat. Even though I reached Bangalore to play in the Challenger Trophy, I was disturbed as our house was devastated by the floods. My teammates supported me a lot and I somehow managed to play on,’ she said.
