Meet Kanika Ahuja: RCB to Gujarat Giants WPL Journey & T20I Debut

Kanika Ahuja is a 23-year-old Indian cricketer who plays for Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League. The all-rounder from Patiala, Punjab, bats left-handed and bowls right-arm off-spin. She made her T20 international debut for India against Malaysia on September 21, 2023, during the Asian Games in Hangzhou, receiving cap number 77. India won gold in women’s cricket at the event, giving Kanika a major tournament medal in her first international competition. 

Her move to Gujarat Giants meant she faced RCB in the WPL 2025 opener on February 14, 2025, at BCA Stadium in Vadodara. She scored an unbeaten 30 off 13 balls with four boundaries, helping RCB chase down 202 in 18.3 overs. 

The knock came during an unbroken 93-run partnership off 37 balls with Richa Ghosh, who finished on 64 not out. RCB won by six wickets, completing the first successful chase of 200 or more in WPL history. Kanika’s quick runs at the other end kept the required rate under control during what became a record chase.

So, let us know more about her career and her performance in WPL. 

Early Cricket Career and Punjab Beginnings

Kanika started playing for Punjab in the 2017-18 season when she was 15 years old. She made her debut in the Senior Women’s T20 League against Odisha, batting in the lower middle order and bowling off-spin through the middle overs. Her early performances came while she was still learning, showing her potential. 

The 2021-22 Women’s Senior One Day Trophy brought her domestic breakthrough. She finished as the joint leading wicket-taker with 15 wickets at an average of 13.13, bowling tightly through the middle and death overs. 

Moreover, her best List A figures came that season when she took five wickets for 23 runs against Maharashtra. She also scored 90 off 88 balls against Rajasthan, showing she could build an innings when her team needed partnerships rather than just boundary hitting.

Punjab began relying on her more after these performances. She could bowl economical spells in the middle overs and then score quick runs at number seven or eight. People watching domestic cricket started noticing how often she delivered for Punjab, whether with bat or ball.

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International Debut and Asian Games Gold

Kanika played her first T20 international on September 21, 2023, against Malaysia at the Asian Games in Hangzhou. She played two matches during that tournament, with her second appearance coming against Bangladesh on September 24, 2023. India won the gold medal in women’s cricket. The gold came just months before the inaugural WPL season, raising her profile ahead of the franchise auction.

Before playing for India’s senior team, she had represented India A at the ACC Women’s T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup in 2023. She scored 30 not out and took two wickets in the final, earning Player of the Match as India A won the tournament. The performance showed she could handle pressure in knockout matches, something that came up again during her WPL career.

Her last international appearance came on December 6, 2023, against Australia at Wankhede Stadium. She has played three T20Is so far, scoring 16 runs with a highest score of 15. Three matches are not enough to judge where she stands at the international level, though her domestic record suggests she has the skills for more opportunities if she keeps performing in the WPL and for Punjab.

WPL Career with Royal Challengers Bengaluru

RCB signed Kanika at the inaugural WPL auction in February 2023. She played seven matches in her first season, scoring 98 runs and taking two wickets. Likewise, she won Player of the Match after hitting 48 off 30 balls and taking two catches in RCB’s first-ever WPL victory. She demonstrated during the innings that she could fill the role of finisher when teams needed to score quickly in the last overs.

Playing alongside Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, and Sophie Devine gave her a close look at how franchise cricket works at the highest level. She saw how these players prepared for matches, what they did under pressure, and how they thought through tactical decisions during games. However, an injury ruled her out of WPL 2024, which meant she had to wait a full year before playing her next WPL match.

She returned for WPL 2025 and played eight matches for RCB, scoring 81 runs. Her role stayed similar, coming in during the middle or late overs to accelerate the scoring. Across two seasons with RCB, she played 15 matches, scored 179 runs at a strike rate of 132.92, and took two wickets. The numbers showed she was a useful squad member but had not yet become a regular in the playing XI.

Teams often shuffle their squads during the WPL auction, with some players staying and others moving to new franchises based on team needs and auction budgets.

Move to Gujarat Giants

Gujarat Giants bought Kanika for ₹30 lakh at the WPL 2026 auction. The franchise needed Indian all-rounders who could bat in the middle order and provide spin options through the middle overs. Her left-handed batting also gave them a different match-up against opposition bowlers, something captains value when building batting lineups.

The move set up a situation where she would face RCB, her former team, in the WPL 2025 opener on February 14, 2025, at BCA Stadium in Vadodara. Gujarat Giants batted first and posted 201 for five in 20 overs. Captain Ashleigh Gardner smashed 79 not out off 37 balls with eight sixes, while Beth Mooney added 56. The total looked strong on a good batting surface, particularly after the Gujarat Giants hit 10 sixes during their innings.

RCB lost early wickets during the chase. Richa Ghosh walked in with the score at 109 for four in the 13th over, needing 93 runs off 45 balls. Kanika joined her after another wicket fell, and the two put together an unbroken partnership of 93 runs off just 37 balls. Richa finished on 64 not out off 27 balls with seven fours and four sixes, while Kanika remained unbeaten on 30 off 13 balls with four boundaries.

RCB reached 202 for four in 18.3 overs, winning by six wickets with nine balls remaining. The successful chase of 202 became the first time any team had chased down 200 or more in WPL history. Richa won Player of the Match for her explosive innings, but Kanika’s contribution kept the pressure on Gujarat Giants’ bowlers throughout the partnership. Even when one team appears certain to win, the match demonstrated how rapidly T20 matches can change.

Through WPL 2026, she has continued to play for the Gujarat Giants, where she scored 35 off 18 balls in a different game against the Mumbai Indians. She has scored 39 runs in three games this season, which shows that she can score rapidly when she gets the chance in the bottom middle order.

Similar to Nadine de Klerk’s impact for RCB, Kanika’s ability to finish innings has become increasingly valuable in the WPL, where matches often come down to the final overs.

Playing Style and Role

Kanika’s main strength is that she bats left-handed in the middle order. Left-handed batters make it harder for bowlers and fielding captains to hit the ball. Her WPL strike rate of 132.92 shows that she can score quickly without taking too many risks at the start of her innings.

She hits boundaries square of the wicket on both sides and uses her feet well against spinners. She can rotate strike while keeping the scoring rate high, which makes her useful when partnerships need building rather than just hitting every ball. Her batting works best in situations where teams need 10 or 12 runs per over rather than 15 or 18, which means she can adapt to different match situations.

Her right-arm off-break gives teams an option during the middle overs, though she bowls less often in the WPL than in domestic cricket. She has taken three wickets in 18 WPL matches, which suggests that franchises use her mainly as a batting all-rounder. Her domestic record shows better bowling numbers, with 38 wickets in 19 List A matches at an average of 13.18. This indicates she can be more effective in 50-over cricket, where bowlers get longer spells.

She has taken 11 catches in 42 Women’s T20 matches, showing safe hands and good positioning in the field. Teams value players who contribute in multiple ways, and her willingness to field in different positions makes her easier to fit into playing XIs when squads are being finalized.

Career Statistics

Kanika’s WPL record shows 18 matches across three seasons with two different teams. She has scored 218 runs at an average of 16.76 and a strike rate of 132.92, with a highest score of 46. Her three wickets have come at useful times, though bowling remains a secondary role for her in franchise cricket.

In List A cricket for Punjab, she has played 19 matches and scored 420 runs at an average of 35.00, with a highest score of 90. With 38 wickets at an average of 13.18 and top figures of five for 23, her bowling in this format has been more effective. When spin bowling conditions are right, she can dominate with the ball in 50-over contests, as evidenced by her two five-wicket hauls in List A cricket.

She has scored 28 runs at an average of 18.69 in 42 Women’s T20 matches, with a best score of 48. She has taken 18 wickets at an average of 20.38, with best figures of three for 16. Although the figures indicate that she is still improving as a T20 batter, she has demonstrated the ability to score swiftly once she settles into the crease.

Her international record includes three Twenty20 Internationals with a maximum score of 15 and 16 runs. Her domestic and WPL performances indicate she may be given more opportunities if she continues to perform well across formats, but three games is insufficient to assess her ability at the international level.

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What Comes Next

Kanika’s move to the Gujarat Giants gives her a fresh opportunity after two seasons with RCB. At 23, she has time to establish herself as a regular in the WPL while continuing to develop her game across formats. Her performances in the first few matches of WPL 2026 show she can contribute when given opportunities, though competition for places remains tough in every franchise.

Her domestic record suggests she is more effective in 50-over cricket, where her bowling becomes more valuable. If she can bring that bowling success into T20 cricket, she becomes a more complete all-rounder option for both franchise and national teams. Right now, teams pick her mainly for her batting, which means she needs to keep scoring runs to hold her place in playing XIs.

Playing for two different franchises has exposed her to different captains, coaching styles, and tactical approaches. She worked under Smriti Mandhana at RCB and now plays under Ashleigh Gardner at Gujarat Giants. Learning from these experienced internationals will help her understand what teams need from their players in high-pressure situations.

Whether she gets another chance with the Indian team depends on her WPL performances and domestic form over the next year or two. Competition for all-rounder spots in the Indian squad remains fierce, with several players fighting for limited positions. How she performs across formats will determine if she can establish herself at the international level beyond the three caps she has earned so far.

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