Niki Prasad has earned her maiden call-up to India’s senior women’s cricket team after captaining the country to the ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup title in 2025. The 20-year-old batter has been named in India’s squad for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe, marking a significant step in her progression from age-group cricket to the senior international setup.
Born on 25 October, 2005, Prasad is a right-handed batter who also bowls right-arm off-break. The Karnataka cricketer came through the domestic age-group system before establishing herself as a promising young player.
Her elevation to the national squad follows her performances for India A and her experience playing in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) for Delhi Capitals.
Niki Prasad’s journey to the U19 World Cup title
Prasad’s rise to the top of India’s under-19 setup was built on her performances in age-group cricket. She made her U16 debut at age 9 and progressed to Karnataka’s U19 team two years later. She turned professional at 13 years old.
Her breakthrough at the international youth level came in 2024, when she led India to victory in the inaugural Women’s Under-19 Asia Cup. That success strengthened her credentials for the captaincy of India’s squad at the 2025 ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup in Malaysia.
India entered the tournament as defending champions and completed an unbeaten campaign, winning all seven matches. In the final against South Africa,
India bowled their opponents out for 82 before chasing the target in 11.2 overs, winning by nine wickets. The triumph secured India’s second consecutive title in the competition, following the team’s inaugural victory under Shafali Verma in 2023.
Prasad’s contribution extended beyond her batting. She was responsible for leading the team through the tournament and managing its bowling resources, while India’s dominant performances helped keep the side unbeaten throughout the competition.
Experience with Delhi Capitals in the WPL
Prasad’s development has also been shaped by opportunities in the Women’s Premier League. Delhi Capitals signed the youngster, giving her the chance to share a dressing room with established international cricketers and gain experience in a competitive senior environment.
She made an immediate impression on her WPL debut against Mumbai Indians in February 2025. Batting under pressure during a challenging run chase, Prasad scored 35 off 33 balls to help Delhi Capitals secure a two-wicket victory off the final delivery. She was named Player of the Match for her contribution.
The experience gave her an opportunity to test her skills against senior international bowlers and continue developing her batting in the professional circuit.
Strong performances for India A
Prasad’s selection for the Zimbabwe T20Is comes after productive performances for India A against Australia A. She scored an unbeaten 54 in the second T20 match and contributed 76 off 71 balls in the third one-day match, alongside taking four wickets across those two games.
She also made an impact in the four-day fixture, scoring 91 in the first innings and finishing with match figures of seven wickets for 77 runs. The all-round contributions demonstrated her ability to contribute with both bat and ball across different formats.
Her domestic performances have provided further evidence of her progress. In the Women’s Under-23 One-Day Trophy, Prasad accumulated 328 runs in eight matches at an average of 46.86 and a strike rate of 112.71. Her highest score during that run was 123 off 91 deliveries.
The three-match T20I series between India and Zimbabwe will get underway on Friday, with all the matches set to be held in Raipur.