Source – Wisden
Nandini Sharma is an emerging Indian fast bowler renowned for her pace, bounce, and accuracy in domestic cricket and the Women’s Premier League. She represents Delhi Capitals in the WPL, having been purchased at the 2026 auction for twenty lakh, marking her as one of the most promising uncapped Indian talents. Sharma impressed selectors through her performances for Chandigarh Women and North Zone Women, where she displayed consistency and match-winning ability. Her breakthrough in the WPL 2026 came when she became the first uncapped Indian to take a hat-trick and five-wicket haul in a single match, immediately attracting nationwide attention. She bowls disciplined lengths, generates pressure early, and often forces mistakes from opposition batters
Domestic Career & Early Development
- Nandini Sharma was born on 20 September 2001 in Chandigarh, India, and began playing competitive cricket locally.
- She honed her fast-bowling skills through age-group tournaments, consistently impressing coaches with pace and accuracy.
- Representing Chandigarh Women, she showed control over line and length, building pressure on top-order batters.
- Nandini captained the Chandigarh senior team during the 2025 domestic season, displaying leadership and strategic bowling intelligence.
- She progressed to the North Zone Women’s in inter-zonal competitions, earning recognition for swing and seam variations.
- Her domestic consistency led selectors to consider her as a potential WPL prospect and future national team bowler.
- Analysts highlighted her ability to deliver under pressure and maintain economy in crucial match phases.
- She gained popularity for her commitment, discipline, and match-winning performances across domestic T20 and One-Day formats.
Women’s Premier League Career & Key Achievements
- Delhi Capitals purchased Nandini Sharma at the WPL 2026 auction for twenty lakh, marking her league debut.
- She made her WPL debut against the Mumbai Indians, bowling with confidence and executing tactical variations.
- Opponents struggled against her pace, bounce, and late swing, especially during power-play overs.
- In a pivotal match against Gujarat Giants, she took a historic five-wicket haul and completed a hat-trick.
- Nandini dismissed Kanika Ahuja, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, and Renuka Singh in successive deliveries to claim her first hat-trick.
- That performance made her only the fourth bowler in WPL history to achieve both a five-wicket haul and a hat-trick.
- Her figures of five for thirty-three became a benchmark for uncapped players in high-pressure games.
- She maintained consistency throughout the season, regularly building pressure and forcing errors from opposition batters.
- Analysts praised her tactical use of slower balls, yorkers, and variations during death overs.
- Her WPL statistics show seven wickets in two matches, placing her among the top wicket-takers for Delhi Capitals.
Strengths, Skills & Future Prospects
- Nandini Sharma excels in controlling line, length, and pace under pressure, which makes her an effective strike bowler.
- She generates bounce and seam movement that troubles experienced international batters in the WPL.
- Her mental resilience and ability to perform in clutch situations earn her comparisons with top league bowlers.
- Nandini provides strong support to her bowling unit and enables flexible field placements through accurate spells.
- She inspires confidence in teammates by producing breakthroughs at critical moments of the game.
- Her career trajectory suggests she will soon earn national team selection and represent India internationally.
- Coaches highlight her work ethic, fitness, and dedication to skill development, reflecting her long-term potential.
- She serves as a role model for aspiring fast bowlers across India, especially from domestic cricket circuits.
- Nandini continues to refine variations, rhythm, and consistency to maintain high performance in the upcoming WPL seasons.
FAQs
Q1. Which team does Nandini Sharma play for in the Women’s Premier League?
Nandini Sharma plays for Delhi Capitals in the WPL, where she actively performs as a leading fast bowler.
Q2. What was the purchase price of Nandini Sharma in the WPL 2026 auction?
Delhi Capitals bought Nandini Sharma for ₹20 lakh during the WPL 2026 auction.
Q3. When did Nandini Sharma make her debut in the WPL?
Nandini Sharma debuted in the WPL during the first match of the 2026 season against Mumbai Indians.
Q4. What significant achievement did Nandini Sharma accomplish in WPL 2026?
Nandini Sharma claimed a historic hat-trick and recorded a five-wicket haul in the same WPL 2026 match.
Q5. Who was Nandini Sharma’s first wicket in the WPL?
Nandini Sharma took her first WPL wicket by dismissing Kanika Ahuja in the league match.
Q6. What are the main bowling strengths of Nandini Sharma?
Nandini Sharma excels at controlling line and length, generating bounce, swinging the ball, and pressuring opposing batters consistently.
Q7. How many wickets has Nandini Sharma secured in WPL 2026?
Nandini Sharma has picked up seven wickets in her opening two matches of the WPL 2026 season for Delhi Capitals.