It’s an incredible feeling to play a World Cup in India: Saiteja

Saiteja Mukkamalla fell in love with cricket watching India triumph in the 50-over World Cup in 2011. It made the then seven-year-old decide to pursue the sport as a profession. With his family firmly backing him, he worked on improving his game, broke into the USA team and is now playing the T20 World Cup.

“I was introduced to the game by my parents and I used to watch some local club games with my dad (Nageshwara Reddy). When my parents saw my interest in cricket, they enrolled me into an academy. From there it all started and I became more serious as the years went on,” the 21-year-old Saiteja told The Hindu.

Keen to further his cricket ambitions, he travelled outside to places including England and India to train.

“My father and I moved to Hyderabad for one year in 2017-2018 to further work on my skills and become better,” the US cricketer, who was trained among others by former India player Ashok Patel, said.

Having always dreamt of playing in India, Saiteja said it was a great feeling to be picked in the national team for the T20 WC.

“It is an incredible feeling to play a World Cup in India…It is always great to play here and I am happy that I was able to make my parents proud.”

He said representing the country in front of thousands of people was a dream for many.

“Playing in India and Chennai has been a dream since I was young. Representing your country in front of thousands of people is a dream to many. I am lucky to experience it and that too in India which is my background,” he said.

He signed off saying that he is very thankful to his family for supporting him consistently and believing in him even though cricket in the USA was not popular.