15-year-old Karnataka cricketer Uma Kashvi scripts history, becomes youngest player bought at WPL auction

Bengaluru, Oct 29 : Karnataka's teenage all-rounder Uma Kashvi has created history by becoming the youngest-ever player to be bought at the Women's Premier League (WPL) auction. Delhi Capitals signed the 15-year-old cricketer for Rs 10 lakh at the 2027 WPL auction held in Kochi on October 28.

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. Her selection has brought the spotlight on Karnataka's emerging women's cricket talent and marked a significant milestone in her young career.

Kashvi's impressive performances in age-group cricket have established her as one of India's promising young cricketers. In the 2025-26 Women's Under-15 One-Day Trophy, she emerged as the tournament's highest run-scorer, amassing 516 runs at an outstanding average of 172. Her tally included three centuries and a half-century.

One of her most remarkable performances came against Manipur on January 10, 2026, when she smashed an unbeaten 158 off just 66 balls, including 23 fours and seven sixes. Her explosive knock helped Karnataka post 321 for five in 35 overs and register a massive 275-run victory.

Besides her batting prowess, Kashvi has also displayed considerable ability as a right-arm off-spinner. In the Under-19 T20 Trophy quarter-final against Vidarbha on October 22, she claimed three wickets for 18 runs in four overs and scored 11 runs. Karnataka defended a total of 140 for seven to secure a six-run victory, with Kashvi earning the Player of the Match award.

Her cricketing journey began at around seven and a half years of age when she joined a cricket academy. At the age of 12, she scored an unbeaten 217 in a junior club-level inter-school tournament in Bengaluru.

She has since captained Karnataka's Under-15 team, led Bengaluru Blasters in the Maharani Trophy and represented India Under-19 against Sri Lanka in June and July this year. During the series, she took four wickets in three T20 matches and two wickets in two one-day games.

Delhi Capitals head coach Jonathan Batty said the franchise had been tracking Kashvi's progress through its scouting network and was impressed by her potential.

"We believe she could become an absolute superstar in the future," Batty said, describing the signing as a long-term investment rather than expecting immediate results.

Kashvi's WPL debut, however, could depend on her availability, as India's Under-19 World Cup commitments in Bangladesh and Nepal are scheduled to overlap with the league.

Delhi Capitals signed four players at the auction, including Kashvi, Kiran Navgire, Nazma Khan and Scotland spinner Kirstie Gordon. Navgire was bought for Rs 75 lakh, while Kashvi and the other two players fetched Rs 10 lakh each.

Kashvi's record-breaking selection is a major achievement for Karnataka cricket and highlights the growing emergence of young talent in women's cricket. For Delhi Capitals, the signing represents a long-term investment in a promising all-rounder with an impressive record at the junior level.