Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 31: Indian women's cricket has a new teenage prospect, with Karnataka's Uma Kashvi creating history at the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2027 auction in Kochi on October 28. Delhi Capitals signed the 15-year-old for Rs 10 lakh, making her the youngest player ever to be bought at a WPL auction.

At 15 years and 202 days, Kashvi surpassed the previous record held by Deeya Yadav, who was 16 when she was picked at last year's auction.

While Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has drawn attention with his rise in men's cricket, Kashvi is beginning to make her mark in the women's game. A right-arm off-spinner who can also contribute with the bat in the middle order, she has progressed through Karnataka's age-group system and represented India Under-19 against Sri Lanka in 2026.

However, her WPL debut could be delayed as she is part of India's Under-19 World Cup plans. The tournament, scheduled to be held in Bangladesh and Nepal, overlaps with the WPL.

Kashvi's cricketing journey began when she was around seven-and-a-half years old, training at an academy near her home. Her potential became evident at an early age when she scored an unbeaten 217 in a junior club-level inter-school tournament in Bengaluru at just 12.

Her exposure to the wider cricketing world came even earlier. At nine, she received the Young Talent Award at the India Nippon Cup, where she shared a dressing room with India internationals Veda Krishnamurthy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma and Shreyanka Patil.

She subsequently took on leadership responsibilities, captaining Karnataka's Under-15 team and leading Bengaluru Blasters in the Maharani Trophy, Karnataka's women's T20 competition. In the 2025 tournament, she scored 48 off 42 balls against Mysore Warriors, gaining valuable experience against senior domestic players.

Kashvi also featured in Karnataka's Under-19 T20 campaign and the team that reached the semi-finals of the Women's Under-19 One-Day Trophy.

Her performances earned her a place in the India Under-19 side for the series against Sri Lanka in June and July 2026. She claimed four wickets in three T20 matches and two wickets in two one-day games.

Kashvi further underlined her batting credentials during the Women's Under-15 One-Day Trophy in the 2025-26 season, finishing as the tournament's leading run-scorer.

She amassed 516 runs at an average of 172, registering three centuries and a half-century. One of her standout performances came against Manipur on January 10, 2026, when she smashed an unbeaten 158 off just 66 balls, hitting 23 fours and seven sixes.

Her innings helped Karnataka post 321/5 in 35 overs at the Aditya Academy Ground in Kolkata. Karnataka went on to win the match by 275 runs.

She has also demonstrated her ability to influence matches with the ball. In Karnataka's Under-19 T20 Trophy quarter-final against Vidarbha on October 22, 2026, she returned figures of 3/18 in four overs. She also scored 11 off 13 balls as Karnataka defended 140/7 to secure a six-run victory. Her all-round contribution earned her the Player of the Match award.

Delhi Capitals head coach Jonathan Batty said the franchise had been monitoring Kashvi for some time, with its scouting network playing an important role in the decision to sign her.

"She has been on our radar for a little while. Our scouts have watched her play extensively and shared some incredible feedback, and I have seen her play as well. We believe she could become an absolute superstar in the future," Batty said.

He made it clear that the franchise viewed the teenager's signing as a long-term investment rather than expecting immediate results.

"At 15, she is very much a work in progress, and we are not expecting her to be the finished article just yet. This is a long-term project for Delhi Capitals," he said.

Batty added that training alongside experienced players and working with the franchise's coaching staff could accelerate her development.

"It is a wonderful opportunity for her to be part of this setup, learn from our top coaches and work alongside international stars. Hopefully, she will learn a huge amount from the players around her. This is the first step on a journey that we hope will lead to Indian recognition in the future, and we're excited to see her progress," he added.

Delhi Capitals picked up four players at the Kochi auction, adding Kashvi, explosive Indian batter Kiran Navgire, Indian all-rounder Nazma Khan and Scotland spinner Kirstie Gordon to a core of 13 retained players.

Navgire was their biggest acquisition at Rs 75 lakh, while Kashvi, Khan and Gordon were each bought for Rs 10 lakh.

The franchise spent Rs 1.05 crore at the auction, taking its total squad expenditure to Rs 14.95 crore, including Rs 13.9 crore spent on retentions.

For Kashvi, the signing marks another important milestone in a journey that has already featured age-group records, domestic success and international junior cricket. Delhi Capitals will now provide her with an opportunity to learn from established players as she continues to develop her game.