‘I’ve been lucky enough to find my way’, says Nicola Carey on WPL opportunity

Navi Mumbai, Jan 11 (LatestNewsX) Mumbai Indians all-rounder Nicola Carey has quickly made a strong impression in her maiden Women’s Premier League season, stepping into the playing XI following Hayley Matthews’ injury and delivering composed, match-winning performances with both bat and ball.

Carey impressed in her first two outings for the franchise, contributing at number five with the bat and bowling effectively in the powerplay. The all-rounder has taken five wickets and scored 61 runs in two matches. She reflected on her unexpected opportunity and the learning curve in the WPL after her match-winning performance against the Delhi Capitals.

Acknowledging that her inclusion came due to Matthews’ absence, at the post-match press conference, Carey said she was realistic about her position in the squad.

“That would be very fair to say that I wouldn’t be starting had Hayley beean there. I’ve been lucky enough to find my way into the team, sadly, because Hayley has a niggle. She’s not too far off, and it would be nice to get her back,” Carey said, adding that Amelia Kerr had to adjust her role at the top of the order in Matthews’ absence.

Speaking about her mindset as a backup player, Carey said preparation remained unchanged despite the uncertainty.

“If you look at the other overseas players in this lineup, they are world-class. I was under no illusions about where I sat. I just prepared how I would go into a game. Sometimes you have last-minute changes, and that’s just the nature of these competitions,” she said.

Carey also shared her excitement about experiencing the WPL environment, praising the atmosphere and the opportunity to learn from top players. “The crowd has been amazing. It’s been wild. Playing alongside players like Harmanpreet Kaur and watching how they go about things has been really cool. You’re always learning in different conditions with different players and coaches,” she noted.

Reflecting on her improvement from the previous game, she said she made small adjustments after a difficult start. “I had to bowl it into the wicket a little more. You learn from games, and I was lucky I could take something away from the last one,” she explained.

Carey also spoke highly of Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet, calling her calm, grounded, and a quality leader.

“She’s very cool, calm, and collected. She knows what she needs to do and gets it done. She doesn’t act like a celebrity around the group and is very down to earth,” Carey said.

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