Veda Krishnamurthy is an Indian cricketer who has represented the India women's national cricket team in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). A right-handed middle-order batter known for her aggressive stroke play, she has been part of several major Indian campaigns in international women's cricket, including the 2017 ICC Women's World Cup in England, where India finished as runners-up.
| Full name | Veda Krishnamurthy |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 October 1992 |
| Place of birth | Kadur, Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Role | Right-handed batter |
| Bowling | Right-arm off break (occasional) |
| Domestic team | Karnataka |
| International formats | ODI, T20I |
Veda Krishnamurthy was born in Kadur, a town in the Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka. She moved to Bengaluru in her early teens to pursue cricket more seriously, training at the Karnataka Institute of Cricket. Alongside cricket, she practised karate during her schooling years, in which she earned a black belt before focusing fully on the sport.
Veda represents Karnataka in domestic women's cricket and has been a regular in the side across the senior age group. She has featured in the Senior Women's One Day League, the Senior Women's T20 League, and inter-zonal tournaments organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Her consistent performances at the domestic level led to her selection for India.
Veda made her ODI debut for India against Sri Lanka in 2011 and her T20I debut around the same period. She quickly established herself as a finisher in the middle order, valued for her ability to clear the boundary and accelerate the scoring rate.
Veda was part of the Indian squad, captained by Mithali Raj, that reached the final of the 2017 ICC Women's World Cup held in England. India lost the final to England by nine runs at Lord's. Veda contributed important runs during the tournament, including a counter-attacking innings in the final that helped India remain in contention.
She was part of Indian squads for ICC Women's T20 World Cup editions during the 2010s, contributing as a middle-order batter. India reached the semi-finals of the 2018 edition held in the West Indies.
Veda has appeared in the Women's T20 Challenge, the BCCI's exhibition women's tournament that preceded the launch of the Women's Premier League (WPL). She has also played in overseas franchise leagues, including stints in the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) in Australia and the Kia Super League (KSL) in England.
Veda is recognised primarily for her power-hitting in the middle and lower-middle order. She is comfortable playing the lofted drive and the pull shot, and she has often been deployed as a finisher in limited-overs cricket. She also bowls occasional off-spin.
In 2020, Veda's family was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which she spoke about publicly. She has been associated with cricket development initiatives in Karnataka and has worked with young women cricketers in the state.
Veda Krishnamurthy is considered among the prominent Karnataka cricketers to have represented India in the women's game during the 2010s. Her role in the 2017 World Cup campaign, particularly her finishing ability, contributed to the wider visibility of women's cricket in India and to the growth of the sport in Karnataka.