Who is Anushka Sharma? Gujarat Giants batter who smashed 30-ball 44 on WPL debut – Firstpost

Young batter Anushka Sharma made a strong first impression in the Women’s Premier League as she scored a confident 44 off 30 balls on her debut for Gujarat Giants. The 22-year-old played a key role in her team’s 10-run triumph over UP Warriorz in a high-scoring match in Navi Mumbai on Saturday.

Anushka came into the spotlight during Gujarat Giants’ innings when she stitched an significant 103-run partnership with captain Ashleigh Gardner. Walking in after the dismissal of Sophie Devine, Anushka showed no nerves on the substantial stage and played freely against a quality bowling attack. Her knock helped Gujarat Giants cross the 170-run mark and set the platform for a massive total of 207 for 4.

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While Gardner’s 65 and Georgia Wareham’s late cameo grabbed headlines, Anushka’s calm and mature batting stood out, especially as it came in her very first WPL match.

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Who is Anushka Sharma?

Anushka Sharma is not modern to attention in women’s cricket. She became one of the most talked-about players during the WPL 2026 mega auction, where all five franchises showed interest in her. Gujarat Giants eventually won a bidding battle against RCB Women to sign her for INR 45 lakh.

The Madhya Pradesh cricketer is known for her hard-hitting batting and useful off-spin bowling, making her a valuable all-round option in the middle order. Her rise in domestic cricket has been steady, and she has delivered impactful performances in several tournaments.

Anushka impressed in the BCCI Inter-Zonal tournament, where she finished as the third-highest run-scorer with 155 runs in five innings. She also showed her six-hitting ability in the Madhya Pradesh Women’s League while playing for the Bundelkhand Bulls, earning praise for her fearless approach.

With her debut knock, Anushka has joined a growing list of cricketers from Madhya Pradesh who have made a mark at the national level, including Pooja Vastrakar, Kranti Gaud, Sanskriti Gupta and Vaishnavi Sharma.

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With a promising start to her WPL career, Anushka Sharma will now look to build on this momentum and establish herself as a regular match-winner for Gujarat Giants in the tournament and try to earn a place in the Indian verein.

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