The UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants faced each other on January 10 in the first matches of the 2026 WPL season for both teams. Gujarat had earlier faced a lot of backlash for being overly dependent on Australian players, including Beth Mooney, captain Ashleigh Gardner, and Georgia Wareham. However, the batter who came out of syllabus was India’s very young and raw talent, Anushka Sharma.
As Gardner rightly put it, “The most pleasing thing as a captain is seeing young players like Anushka Sharma come out and bat the way she did in her first game of the WPL. She had a lot of confidence out there, and it was pleasing to see someone so young be able to do that on the big stage.” Gardner also added that overseas players do a lot of work in big matches, but it is the domestic players who help in winning games, highlighting how important their influence is.
After the dismissal of former captain Mooney, Anushka came out to bat at No. 3. She already had the support of Sophie Devine, who was at the crease looking in excellent touch and putting on a show with her bat. The 30 runs off 20 balls from Devine gave Gujarat the start they wanted.
As for Gardner, her 65 off 41 balls was almost on expected lines. Although she was expensive with the ball, she played her part with the bat. Among these big names, when Anushka arrived at the crease, all that people knew about her was that she represents Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket and has a reputation for being a hard hitter.
The first ball she faced was from Sophie Ecclestone, a length delivery, which Anushka played to deep square leg for a single. She made her presence felt soon after, hitting her first boundary off Asha Sobhana by bending her knee and playing the ball behind square leg. The array of shots continued as she struck Ecclestone for a boundary over extra-cover.
The 103-run partnership with Gardner not only included fours and sixes but also smart singles. Sharma, who struck seven fours, accumulated her remaining 16 runs by rotating the strike. There was clear communication between the two players, and strike rotation was a key part of their partnership. As Anushka’s confidence grew, she used the reverse sweep to disrupt the line of the off-spinners. She also used her feet well and played a few shots over the bowler’s head.
Anushka missed out on her maiden half-century by six runs as she was caught at long-on while trying to attack Deandra Dottin.
Anushka mentioned that when Gardner joined her at the crease, the two discussed building a crucial partnership, and she referred to Gardner as “great company”.
When a domestic player receives such appreciation from an international star, it undoubtedly boosts confidence. It was natural for a young player like her to be nervous, but the way she kept her calm and complemented Gardner during the innings was exceptional. However, there is scope for improvement in her fielding.
As this appears to be the first of many such extraordinary performances, there will definitely be eyes on her consistency and how she maintains her form in the remaining matches. Gujarat Giants won their first match by 10 runs and will now face Delhi Capitals on January 11.
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