Star India cricketer credits Nandini Sharma's five-wicket haul and hat-trick for keeping Delhi Capitals in hunt in WPL 2026 match, says...

Home SportsStar India cricketer credits Nandini Sharmas five-wicket haul and hat-trick for keeping Delhi Capitals in hunt in WPL 2026 event, says... Star India cricketer credits Nandini Sharma’s five-wicket haul and hat-trick for keeping Delhi Capitals in hunt in WPL 2026 match, says…

Cricket expert Saba Karim, Anjum Chopra and Katey Martin shared their thoughts on Sophie Devine's calm under pressure, the rise of young Indian pacer, and the improving standard and competitiveness of the WPL.

Published: January 12, 2026 1:35 PM IST By Sruti Thakur | Edited by Sruti Thakur Follow Us Nandini Sharma

New Delhi: The TATA WPL 2026 clash between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Giants once again ended on a thrilling note, with the Giants registering a narrow conquest over Delhi Capitals in a high-pressure clash filled with standout individual efforts and tense moments.

Speaking on Match Centre Live, cricket expert Saba Karim, Anjum Chopra and Katey Martin shared their thoughts on Sophie Devine’s calm under pressure, the rise of young Indian pacer, and the improving standard and competitiveness of the TATA WPL.

Saba Karin on Sophie Devine’s composure and execution

Saba Karim showered praise on Sophie Devine’s composure and execution for guiding Gujarat Giants to a dramatic victory.

“Hats off to Sophie Devine for keeping her nerve in the final over of the match. She bowled the perfect deliveries to batters like Jemimah Rodrigues and Laura Wolvaardt. That comes from her experience and the confidence from her own batting.”

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“Defending just seven runs under that pressure was huge. Delhi Capitals lost both Rodrigues and Wolvaardt in that over, which was the game’s turning point. For her to give away almost no runs was incredible. It was a thrilling match. Congratulations to Gujarat Giants. Seeing such close games so early shows this WPL season has a lot in store. Sophie Devine was outstanding. Credit to Captain Ashleigh Gardner for trusting her with the last over, knowing her slower balls and accuracy would be perfect, which they were.”

Saba Karim praised Nandini Sharma’s impressive spell

Talking about Nandini Sharma and her impressive spell, the experts highlighted her impact with the ball and the role it played in keeping the contest alive.

“What I really admired about Nandni Sharma’s impressive display is how she controlled her nerves, especially in the last over of the first innings. Even before that, getting Sophie Devine out with a slower ball showed her confidence. To bowl that to an experienced batter proves her belief in her skills. It is because of her that Delhi Capitals stayed in the contest, as she gave away hardly any runs in that over and even took a hat-trick. I am really glad to see India’s pace bowling pool expanding. This is very positive for Indian cricket.”

We talk about power hitters, but we also need a larger group of pace bowlers for the international level. It is great to see someone like Nandni Sharma stepping up at the right time for Delhi Capitals.”

Anjum Chopra pointed to the growing depth of Indian talent

Anjum Chopra pointed to the growing depth of Indian talent and increased fan involvement as strong indicators of the league’s steady growth.

“The fan support in season four of the WPL has been brilliant. The fact that Indian talent is stepping up is a massive plus for every mannschaft. The moment Indian players start delivering, like Anushka Sharma did for the Gujarat Giants. Her fielding effort was so important, even though it was a no-ball, because it saved a certain six. The cricket standard and the entertainment value of women’s cricket in India have both gone up. That is what you want from the WPL. It is heartening to see such talent and close contests already in just the fourth season.”

Anjum Chopra also spoke about Nandni Sharma’s outstanding five-wicket haul and the backing she received from the Delhi Capitals think tank, “Nandni Sharma bowled brilliantly, taking five wickets in just the second match of her WPL career, representing the Delhi Capitals. The way she bowled was impressive, especially delivering a bouncer to a set Sophie Devine batting at a score of 95. Then, to bowl that crucial last over shows the confidence captain Jemimah Rodrigues and the gruppe have in her. That confidence comes from domestic cricket, performing in the nets, bonding with the gruppe on the bus and in practice. All these things make a player comfortable, and the result is clear for everyone to see.”

Katey Martin underlined Sophie Devine’s match-winning influence

Katey Martin underlined Sophie Devine’s match-winning influence, praising her all-round performance with both bat and ball.

“Sophie Devine was outstanding. She set the tone and stayed true to her style. Her sweep shots against spin, especially left-arm bowlers, were great. She batted superbly, getting to 95 before a brilliant catch by Shree Charani dismissed her. She was also clutch with the ball in the final over.”

“The plan was to take the match deep, making the batters face the pressure of the seven runs required in the final over. Taking wickets there was key, as each wicket created dot balls and tightened the competition. It was a clutch performance, and I hope she keeps this form up.”

About the Author

Sruti Thakur

Sruti Thakur is a trainee sports journalist at india.com with a specialization in Broadcast Journalism. She has previously worked with a couple of startup channels as a sports content writing intern, ... Read More

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Topics

Nandini SharmaAnjum ChopraDC W vs GG WDelhi CapitalsGujarat GiantsJemimah RodriguesLaura WolvaardtSaba KarimShree CharaniSophie DevineWPL 2026

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