Making waves in the Women’s Premier League, 16-year-old Deeya Yadav has become the youngest cricketer to be purchased at auction, signing with Delhi Capitals for Rs 10 lakh. The Haryana-based batter is thrilled about the prospect of joining the Capitals and playing with established Indian star Shafali Verma. Yadav’s journey to the WPL has been fueled by exceptional domestic performances, including a remarkable double century (213 not out) in the U15 category, which brought her significant recognition.
Verma, who has shared the Haryana domestic team with Yadav for three seasons, welcomed her new teammate on Instagram. Yadav attributes much of her development in aggressive batting and handling high-pressure situations to playing alongside Verma. “I learned how to be aggressive during batting and how to handle pressure situations. She (Shafali) plays really well under pressure. I developed the intent of hitting when I started playing with her,” Yadav stated.
The Delhi Capitals franchise has been keeping a close watch on Yadav’s talent. CEO Sunil Gupta elaborated on the scouting process, stating that the team was impressed by her performances in youth tournaments and the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy. “Her range of shots and ball-striking ability, along with fearless approach, is what impressed our scouts and led to us picking her at the auction,” Gupta commented. Yadav’s recent success as Haryana’s second-highest scorer in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy and her contributions to North Zone’s Inter Zonal T20 campaign underscore her readiness for senior-level cricket. Her early inspiration in cricket came from her father, a former Delhi Under-19 player, in Pune.