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At the age of only 13, Swara Jadhav has already attained what every cricketer dreams of accomplishing over years of playing. The left-arm spinner has turned out to be one of the most inspiring stories of the first ever T20 Mumbai Women's League where she was an instrumental part in guiding the SoBo Mumbai Falcons to lift the title and also emerged as the highest wicket-taker.

The player has even bagged the purple cap for her performances, and is the youngest to participate in the league. The dreams though, she said, have just begun, as she hopes to make it to the Indian team one day.

Born in Mumbai, Swara had spent six years in the USA with her father having been shifted due to his job. Nevertheless, her passion for the gentleman's game had not diminished.

"I started in the US only and then for cricket we came to India," Swara said.

The move back to India was perhaps the most defining point in her career. While opportunities did arise in the USA, the cricket structure and exposure were much weaker there as opposed to Mumbai, and chances of getting competitive chances increased.

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Speaking of her initial practice sessions back in America, Swara described the struggles she went through.

"It was very different because more than half of the year it was cold and it was very hard to practice outdoors. There was more indoor practice going on, so not much development over there. That's why we decided to come to India."

She soon excelled at various domestic competitions and earned herself the 'Emerging Player of the Tournament' in the Prakash Puranik Women's Cricket Tournament. These performances landed her a place in the SoBo Mumbai Falcons team.

"I was very thrilled. I was very excited because I wasn't expecting this to happen. The owners, the support staff trusting me and giving me this opportunity, Mumbai Cricket Association trusting me, I was very happy." 

she quoted. Even with her age, Swara has been a quick learner and did not take long to learn from experienced players.

All these sacrifices and journey would not have been possible without the support of her family. While her father continues to stay and work in the United States, Swara, her mother, and sister live in Mumbai and support her dreams.

"My dad stays alone in the US for us. His job is over there. Me, my mom and my sister stay in Mumbai. He comes and visits occasionally. Everything is going on for my cricket and I'm really grateful for this," she explained. It is her parents, she stated, who guide her even when things don't go well.

"The best advice my parents have given me is that even if I keep failing, I should keep working hard because dreams do come true." Swara idolizes England bowler Sophie Ecclestone and is a regular on YouTube watching her action. She uses meditation and visualization to improve her game and believes there's only one clear goal in mind for her five years from now.

"Five years from now, I want to see myself playing for India and being one of the top wicket-takers for the Indian team."

For sure, Swara Jadhav at just 13 is a name that is not going to be forgotten anytime soon in women's cricket.