Born on November 15th 1970 in Bangalore, Karnataka, former India Test and ODI captain Mamatha Maben.
Making her first class debut in 1990/91 – in a semi final, no less – Mamatha hit 47 runs batting at number three as Karnataka defeated Bengal in the Senior National Women’s Cricket Championship. It was the beginning of a wonderful career spanning 16 years – and then taking that knowledge on in a coaching capacity for Bangladesh, China and more recently, Supernovas in the Women’s T20 Challenge.
Her debut in international cricket was for the Women in Blue, representing India at the World Cup in England in 1993. She played in 40 ODIs in total, her aggressive batting and medium pace bowling an ideal fit for the white ball game. It was that bowling where she shone most, taking 21 wickets at the miserly average of just 12.14. Her best figures of 6-10 are also the best ever by an Indian woman in ODI cricket.
Mamatha’s Test debut was at Lucknow in 2001/2 under the captaincy of Anjum Chopra, against England. In her only innings she made 49. In her second Test match, against South Africa in Boland, she went one better and scored 50, her best Test score as India defeated the home team by 10 wickets. Her final Test match, at home against New Zealand, she was honoured to become only the tenth Test cricket captain of India.