Navi Mumbai, Jan 11: In a high-stakes encounter at the Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy, 24-year-old medium-pacer Nandini Sharma etched her name into the history books of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026.
Despite a record-breaking assault from Sophie Devine earlier in the evening, Nandini emerged as the first uncapped player in WPL history to claim both a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul in a single match.
The night initially belonged to the Gujarat Giants' Sophie Devine, who blazed a sensational 95 off just 42 balls, including a record-setting 32-run over off Sneh Rana. However, after picking up the crucial wicket of Devine in the 11th over to break the momentum, Nandini saved her best for the very end.
Returning for the 20th over with the Giants
threatening to breach the 220-run mark, Nandini displayed ice-cold nerves to dismantle the lower order:
- 19.4 Over: Kanika Ahuja stumped as she missed a slower delivery.
- 19.5 Over: Rajeshwari Gayakwad clean bowled by a searing yorker.
- 19.6 Over: Renuka Singh Thakur trapped LBW to complete the historic hat-trick.
She finished with stellar figures of 5/33, limiting the Giants to 209/10-a total that looked set to be much higher before her intervention.
Nandini Sharma's achievement is a significant milestone for the WPL. While established internationals like Issy Wong, Deepti Sharma, and Grace Harris have claimed hat-tricks in previous seasons, Nandini is the first-ever uncapped Indian player to join this elite club.
WPL Hat-trick Club
| Player | Team | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Issy Wong | Mumbai Indians | 2023 |
| Deepti Sharma | UP Warriorz | 2024 |
| Grace Harris | UP Warriorz | 2025 |
| Nandini Sharma | Delhi Capitals | 2026 |
Purchased by the Delhi Capitals for INR 20 lakh, the right-arm seamer has quickly justified her price tag, claiming the Purple Cap after her record-breaking display.
While Nandini's individual brilliance was the talk of the town, the match itself went down to the wire. Chasing 210, the Delhi Capitals fought back valiantly through Lizelle Lee (86) and a late explosion from Laura Wolvaardt (47 off 15 balls).
The game boiled down to the final over with Delhi needing just 7 runs to win. In a poetic twist, it was the opening-innings hero Sophie Devine who took the ball for the Giants. Devine defended the total with masterclass death bowling, conceding only one run in the final three deliveries to secure a 4-run victory for the Gujarat Giants. Delhi Capitals' skipper Jemimah Rodrigues (15 off 9) and set Laura Woolvardt (77 off 38) were dismissed in the final over.
![[WATCH] WPL 2026: Nandani Sharma becomes fourth bowler to take hat-trick, claims rare double](https://glance-mob.glance-cdn.com/public/cardpress/binge-magazine-card-generation/spaces/IN/en/crictracker-spaces/images/ppid_49c02804-image-176819014595613099.webp)
