That’s what comes naturally to me: Shreyanka Patil on how Virat Kohli’s aggression has influenced her playing style

Shreyanka Patil, whose stocks have been on the rise ever since her outing for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), added another glistening chapter to her fledging career with a ‘Player of the Tournament’ performance in the recently concluded ACC Women’s Emerging Asia Cup. 

The talented youngster registered figures of 5/2 (vs Hong Kong) and brought her A-game to the fore in the summit clash of the tournament, with her 4/13 from four overs playing a significant hand in helping India defend a 127-run target against Bangladesh ‘A’. 

In the post-match presentation, an ardent fan of Virat Kohli from a very young age, Shreyanka spoke about how the former RCB skipper has influenced her style and aggression on the field. 

Shreyanka said, “I've been watching Virat Kohli since I was a kid, that’s what comes naturally to me and I love playing under pressure as well.”

Persistent rain didn’t allow India to play a single game after their tournament opener until the final against Bangladesh, with the Shweta Sehrawat-led side scheduled to play their group-stage encounters against Nepal and Pakistan ‘A’, both of which were washed out. 

By virtue of topping the points table, India ‘A’ made the semifinal, but even that clash was abandoned due to rain, giving the Women in Blue a direct ticket into the final. 

Despite a massive win against Hong Kong, playing a final against Bangladesh was always going to be a challenge, and Shreyanka spoke highly of the team atmosphere and the management for keeping the squad in the right spirits. 

She said, “It’s amazing, all credit to my teammates and the management. After the first game we were frustrated because we missed three matches because of the rain. But then we came back here with the same intent, same energy and did what we did.”