Delhi Capitals’ Nandani Sharma (24) was the first player to achieve a five wicket haul and a hat trick in the Women’s Premier League (WPL). She had a performance of 5 for 33 as she took four wickets in five deliveries to help take down the Gujarat Giants.
Though Nandani performed exceptionally well, it wasn’t enough for Delhi who were defeated by four runs in an exciting game. Gujarat batted first and made 209 runs, with Sophie Devine making 95 in just 4 2 balls. Nandani bowled the final over and took a hat-trick, dismissing Kanika Ahuja (stumped), Rajeshwari Gayakwad (bowled), and Renuka Singh (lbw) in consecutive deliveries.
Her hat-trick came after she’d already dismissed Devine for 95 and Kashvee Gautam earlier in the innings. She completed 5 wickets off just 5 deliveries in the final over, a devastating burst that nearly won the match for Delhi.
Who is Nandani Sharma and Where Did She Come From?
Nandani was born September 20, 2001, in Chandigarh. She comes from a middle class family and began her cricketing career by playing in local leagues prior to entering into structured training programs.
Her brother, mother, and close friend watched her hat-trick at the stadium, while the rest of her family watched at home.
She represented Chandigarh Women in domestic cricket and also captained the team during 2025. She represented North Zone and India B in inter-zonal matches and domestic tournaments.
Her breakthrough came in 2025 when she trained at the NCA U-23 Emerging Camp under coaches like Troy Cooley. Delhi Capitals signed her for Rs 20 lakh at the WPL 2026 auction.
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What Challenges has Nandani Sharma Faced on her Journey?
Chandigarh does not have a good amount of infrastructure or support like cities such as Mumbai or Bengaluru,hub for cricket; specifically women’s cricket. Nandani Sharma received training from local clubs with limited support from the UT Cricket Association in terms of platforms.
The selection to participate in the NCA camp provided her with opportunities to use top-quality facilities that are unavailable in Chandigarh.
In the Senior Women’s Inter Zonal T20 Trophy 2025, she went wicketless in all three games. But she bounced back with strong performances in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy. Her domestic record shows 6 wickets in 5 innings in that tournament.
How did Nandani Sharma Engineer her Historic Hat-Trick?
Gujarat were 205/7 in the final over when Nandani came on to bowl. Kanika Ahuja charged down and was stumped off a slower ball. Rajeshwari Gayakwad missed a straight ball and was bowled. Renuka Singh went across the stumps and was lbw.
Before the hat-trick, she’d dismissed Sophie Devine for 95 with a back-of-the-hand slower ball that she top-edged to the keeper in the 11th over. She also took Kashvee Gautam in the 20th over before the hat-trick sequence.
Her five-wicket haul (5/33) is the seventh in WPL history and the fifth-best. The best figures belong to Ellyse Perry (6/15), followed by Marizanne Kapp (5/15), Asha Sobhana (5/22), Tara Norris (5/29), and Amelia Kerr (5/38).
Why does this Hat-Trick matter for WPL and Indian Cricket?
Nandani became the fourth bowler to take a WPL hat-trick. Issy Wong did it first in the 2023 Eliminator, Deepti Sharma in 2024 (first Indian), and Grace Harris in 2025. Nandani is the first to combine a hat-trick with a five-wicket haul in the same match.
This signals the WPL’s focus on fast-bowling development. The league launched the “Speed Queen” initiative to find pace bowlers across India. Indian women’s cricket has lacked fast bowlers with spinners dominating all domestic tournaments in 2025. The success of Nandani is evidence that the opportunity to bowl at a consistent pace needs to be provided to the pacers.
Digital WPL views skyrocketed in 2025 as did total viewership which increased by 140% compared to 2024, with breakout performances such as Nandani creating a huge buzz that attracts brand sponsorship and increases engagement. After India’s 2025 World Cup win, brands increased women’s cricket spending significantly.
How did Nandani Sharma Respond to her Success?
“I wanted to just bowl at my target. They (Shafali and Jemi) were talking to me every ball, and that was my plan,to bowl at the stumps. I did not expect it (a hat-trick), but the team told me I could get wickets,” Nandani said.
She credited captain Jemimah Rodrigues and Shafali Verma for constant encouragement before every ball. Rodrigues showed confidence by handing her the final over in a pressure situation.
“My brother, my mother, and a close friend are here watching. My family is watching at home also, and they have been very supportive,” she added.
What Nandani Sharma Loves to do off the Field?
Nandani keeps her focus primarily on cricket and fitness training. She trained intensively under bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad during Delhi Capitals’ pre-tournament camp in Goa to refine her skills.
Her Instagram handle @nandnisharma__ shows she maintains a professional cricketer image with over 7,000 followers. She describes herself as “God’s favourite child” on her profile.
Outside cricket, she spends time with her family that has been a big support system for her throughout this process. All of her family members; including her mom, brother and all of her close friends were at her first ever hat-trick game as well as showing the support from her family in general.
Her mantra for aspiring cricketers reflects her personality: “Never give up in life. There will be times when everything seems to be going wrong. You may feel like quitting fast bowling. Injuries will happen. You need to confront these challenges and come back stronger. Just never give up”.
She focuses on maintaining her fitness and regularly clocks speeds over 110 km/h, making her one of the few Indian pacers with genuine pace. Training, practice sessions, diet management, and fitness routines take up most of her time outside competitive cricket.
What Lies Ahead for Nandani Sharma?
India is actively building its pace-bowling pool through the WPL Speed Queen initiative. With seven wickets in two WPL matches and holding the Purple Cap, Nandani is now on the radar for India A or national team selection. The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in England is a clear target.
Delhi Capitals have seven league matches remaining. They face UP Warriorz next on January 14, then play Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mumbai Indians, and Gujarat Giants again. After WPL, she’ll return to domestic competitions with Chandigarh.
Her contract value at Rs 20 lakh could jump significantly in the next auction if she maintains this form. Brands are now actively investing in women’s cricket, and breakout WPL performances attract endorsements.
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