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Sonam Yadav is an Indian cricketer who plays for the Indian women Under-19 team primarily as a bowler. A right hand batsman and slow left arm orthodox bowler, Sonam Yadav was a part of the Indian squad that won the Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup in 2023.
Wiki/Biography
Sonam Mukesh Yadav was born on Wednesday, 18 July 2007 (age 15 years; as of 2022) in Raja Ka Taal, Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh. Her zodiac sign is Cancer. Sonam grew up watching her brother play cricket and herself developed an interest in the sport. When she was 13 years old, Sonam began playing cricket with the boys of her locality in nearby parks. She was so good at bowling that she often dismissed players older than her age. Seeing her interest in cricket, her brother enrolled her at District Cricket Academy in Firozabad, where she was trained under the cricket coach Ravi Yadav. In an interview, Sonam disclosed that she was the only girl at the cricket academy. She said,
I was the only one. All the boys there supported me and made me comfortable. When I joined the academy, I was very nervous, but slowly and steadily, I settled in, thanks to the other players.”
As of 2023, she is pursuing class 10.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 1″
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Family
Sonam Yadav belongs to an economically weaker family from Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh.
Parents & Siblings
Sonam Yadav’s father, Mukesh Yadav, works at a glass factory in Firozabad, Uttar Pradesh. Her mother, Guddi Devi, is a homemaker. She has an elder brother, Aman Yadav, who also works in a glass factory. Aman was earlier a cricketer, but he could not pursue the sport due to some reasons. She also has three elder sisters. One of her sisters’ names is Sneh Lata.
Cricket
Domestic
A year after Sonam Yadav started training at the District Cricket Academy, she was selected in the Uttar Pradesh U19 Women team. She made her debut for Uttar Pradesh U19 in 2018. In the T20 tournament in 2018, Sonam took three wickets wickets against Andhra Pradesh Women and helped Uttar Pradesh win the championship. In the same year, she made her one-day debut for Uttar Pradesh. She has also played Zonal Cricket Academy matches.
International
After a brilliant performance in the state cricket team, Sonam Yadav made her place in the U19 Indian women cricket team for New Zealand series, where she took six wickets in four matches. Later, she was named in the U19 Indian Women Squad for Women T20 U19 World Cup 2023. After her selection in the team, Sonam was sent to Goa to receive a four-day training in cricket. Thereafter, she was sent to Visakhapatnam for further training. Sonam played 6 matches in the World Cup and became the leading wicket-taker for India with 5 wickets. Her best performance in the tournament was to dismiss 2 wickets after giving one run.
WPL
In February 2023, Mumbai Indians bought her for Rs 10 lakh in the inaugural WPL auction.
Facts/Trivia
- Her cricket coaches are Ravi Yadav and Vikas Paliwal.
- Sonam’s jersey number is 42.
- In a media conversation, Sonam’s coach Ravi Yadav revealed that Sonam initially desired to play cricket as a batsman. However, after looking at her bowling skills, Ravi decided to train her in both, batting and bowling.
- Sonam credits her success to her brother, Aman Yadav, and her coaches Ravi Yadav and Vikas Paliwal.
- Sonam Yadav considers the Indian cricketer Ravindra Jadeja her role model. In an interview, while talking about Jadeja, Sonam said,
I have always looked up to Ravindra Jadeja. I like his bowling accuracy and pace variations.”
- In 2019-20, she received the award of best bowler of the tournament in Under-16 Women’s Zonal League. Sonam has won several other awards and trophies at state level.
- Apparently, her family rented a television ahead of the 2023 U-19 Women’s World Cup, to watch Sonam play in the tournament.