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

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 win 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 important 103-run partnership with captain Ashleigh Gardner. Walking in after the dismissal of Sophie Devine, Anushka showed no nerves on the big 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.

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 new 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 team.