Women’s CPL Player Diaries: Geetika Kodali

Three of the brightest young talents in the Women’s game in America have been signed as overseas players in the upcoming inaugural Women’s Caribbean Premier League and the new 6ixty taking place from 24th August to the 4th of September in St Kitts. We are going to hear from all of them and in the third and final Women’s CPL Player Diary blogs here on usacricket-dev.cdn-pi.com, it’s hat-trick hero Geetika Kodali.

It has been a great honor representing the USA and the Trinbago Knight Riders in the first ever 6ixty and Women’s Caribbean Premier League. Playing alongside and getting to know world class men’s and women’s cricketers has been a dream come true. From arrival into St Kitts, the welcome into TKR was warm and accommodating.  

It is not every day you get to sit down and have breakfast with international stars like Suné Luus and Hayley Jensen, or talk cricket with Nicholas Pooran at a team dinner! The routines of the teams and players here are very different compared to our own back in the United States and there has been so much to learn from the professionalism on and off the field which I’m sure will benefit all three of us as we go back to join Team USA in the UAE for the qualifiers.  

I thoroughly enjoyed observing the differences from all the players and learning new ways to warm up, strategize, and relax. A smile-filled “good morning,” “good afternoon,” or “good night” from everyone will brighten your day. I recently learned how to play dominoes and all-fours (a card game) and have been having a lot of fun off the field too! 

On the field, it’s been surreal to get selected in the starting XI for all the games and then to go one step further and be trusted in many key moments with the ball. We were all disappointed to miss out on the 6ixty Champions title but then we regrouped as a team and dedicated ourselves to lifting the maiden Caribbean Premier League crown. 

A personal highlight for me has been the first ever hat-trick during the 6ixty competition. I never expected to make history at this event but it was a fantastic feeling. Hayley Matthews, Brittney Cooper, and Chloe Tryon are all batters I admire watching on TV as I do my homework. When I first made the USA national cricket team, I met Britney Cooper during a developmental camp where she was on the opposition team. I still remember the sting of being hit all over the ground by her that day, so her wicket was extra special to me. I received so many messages of support from all over America and I hope this hat-trick is the first of many records I’ll set in the future. 

I’ve been so proud to contribute to my TKR squad, and without doubt the highlight of the whole trip was being a part of the team to lift the first ever Women’s CPL trophy. It was a thrilling finish with an atmosphere I’ll never forget as we just about beat the rain showers to defend a small total and pull off a narrow victory.  

The memories I made in the Caribbean will last a lifetime. I will always cherish the connections I have developed with the players. Cricket in the US is booming, and opportunities are opening up left and right. I am thankful to benefit from the work of everyone who represented this country before me and fought for these opportunities to help support future generations. I’m excited to now be able to share everything I’ve learned from this experience with my USA teammates.  

I hope this will inspire a lot more girls to take up the sport of cricket. I also hope they will eventually be given the opportunity to compete further in other franchise cricket events. Despite the geographical hurdles that prevent players from practicing together as a squad, the United States Women’s Cricket Pathway has done wonders for the development of female cricket in the United States and we’re all excited for the future.