Deeya Yadav, the 16-year-old batting sensation from Haryana, is all set to make her mark in WPL 2026. In the mega auction, Delhi Capitals (DC) secured her for Rs 10 lakh, setting up a dream opportunity for her to play alongside her Haryana teammate and idol, Shafali Verma. Thus, she also became the youngest player ever to be bought at a WPL mega auction.
Before the auction, the writer and Trisha Ghosal had highlighted Deeya in an article on five uncapped Indian players who could attract bids. And when she earned her first WPL contract, that prediction came true. But the most heartwarming moment came when RevSportz contacted her father, Rakesh Yadav, for an interview.
In a telephonic conversation, he said: “Whatever happened, it happened because of you guys. I follow RevSportz. I saw the article you wrote a few days back, Deeya was there and you guys created the buzz. Thank you. All those small things helped her reach this stage.”
That was music to the writer’s ears. What followed was a delightful and exclusive chat with Deeya, currently playing in the Women’s U-23 T20 Trophy Elite for Haryana. She spoke about her WPL contract, her journey, her parents’ support, her idols, the World Cup win, and more.
What was the feeling during the auction? Were you watching it live?
At the time of the auction, we had a match in the morning. After it finished, we had a gym session. Everyone was together. When my set came — I think it was the 7th set — we connected our phones to the speakers and started watching.
It felt really good that my name came up in the auction for the first time and I got picked. The whole gym session actually stopped. Everyone gathered around and watched DC bid for me. It was a very exciting moment.
How did your parents react? Especially your father, Rakesh sir?
Mom and Dad were very happy. My grandparents, too. Mom cried a lot — tears of happiness. Dad was also extremely happy, and he immediately started getting many phone calls.
After such a strong domestic season, did you feel confident of getting a team this time?
Yes, I had confidence that it would happen. And even if it did not, I was ready to work harder and come back stronger. I kept faith in God, and it happened.
For young cricketers like you, what does the WPL mean?
WPL is a very big platform. I watched the WPL Season 2 final in Delhi, where DC played RCB. I kept manifesting that someday I want to play here, in front of such a crazy crowd. Seeing Shafali (Verma) di play there was really inspiring. I told myself — I have to reach this stage soon.
Can you share your journey and your parents’ role in it?
Dad helped me a lot. Mom and Dad were always supportive. In the first one or two years, Dad coached me himself. He made nets in our society, and we practiced every morning. If I got out, he made me run, so I stayed focused. He bowled to me every day. He supported me through every downfall.
I started playing with boys early on. In 2018, Dad put me in an academy, and that is when the proper cricket journey began.
How important has the support been from Coach Mahipal Singh?
He is the head coach of the Haryana women’s team, and he has supported me a lot. He gave me many opportunities and always kept faith in me. Haryana Cricket Association has also supported me a lot. I am very grateful.
That unbeaten 213 off 125 balls in the U-15 One-Day Trophy — how do you look at it now?
It feels really good. Scoring a double hundred became a turning point in my career because people still remember that knock when they meet me.
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What impresses you the most about Shafali Verma? And what did you think of her knock in the World Cup final?
I debuted for Haryana two years ago and got to play with her in the first year itself. It was the Under-23 one-dayers, and she was our captain. It was a dream come true. I always wanted to play with her. This is my third year in the domestic team.
In a match against Delhi, Shafali di was just smacking every ball, and I was like, I have to bat like this. Then, she told me early on that I have power, and I should try hitting. So next year, I worked hard, brought intent, and started hitting. She helped me a lot.
We watched the entire World Cup final together. She played so well. She scored 87, and it felt amazing to watch. I saw the whole match with Aman di (Amandeep). It felt really good because when she got the call for the World Cup, she was with us. So we were like, let her win. Now we will win the final.
With India winning the Women’s World Cup, how motivated are youngsters like you?
Very motivated. They worked so hard and played so well. We want to do the same — play for India soon and win the World Cup.
You also idolise MS Dhoni. What makes him your favourite?
My father saw India win the first World Cup (1983) when he was two years old. And I saw the second (2011) when I was two. Dad was a big Dhoni fan, so he used to talk about him, and I used to look at him and wonder who he was.
Then, I naturally started following him. Since 2016, I have followed him closely. I love how calm he is while chasing. I enjoy watching his batting and keeping.
Jemimah Rodrigues is now your teammate at DC. How excited are you to learn from her and from Laura Wolvaardt?
Jemi di is a great fielder and batter. She takes the game deep. She rotates strike well and punishes loose balls. She does not just hit the ball all the time. I want to understand her game plan. I also want to see Laura’s batting up close. I am a big fan of hers, too. I just want to see what they think while playing.
Any message from DC management yet?
Not yet. But they have contacted me and said they wish me luck and are excited to meet me.
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