Nandni Sharma: India fast bowler Nandni Sharma has credited the Women's Premier League (WPL) with transforming her understanding of the game, while also recalling the childhood moment that inspired her to become a pace bowler.
Speaking about her cricketing journey, Nandni explained how exposure to elite players reshaped her mindset and how a chance observation at her academy sparked a passion that continues to drive her career.
Reflecting on the impact of the WPL, Nandni said the tournament broadened her perspective far beyond simply taking wickets.
“The WPL has changed me a lot as a cricketer. I have learned so much, from sharing the dressing room with big players to watching how they prepare, how they handle pressure, and how they approach different situations. I now see cricket in a different way. Earlier, I used to think that if I just bowl, I will get wickets. But now I understand that there is so much more to the game. There is planning, reading the batter, adapting to conditions, and communicating with teammates. I have learned a lot, and all of it is helping me in my journey,” Nandni told JioStar.
The young pacer also looked back on the early days of her cricketing life, revealing that her first experiences in the sport were far from straightforward. Accompanying her brother to the academy, she initially found herself on the sidelines, unable to convince coaches to let her bowl.
"When I started playing cricket, my brother used to play, so I began by watching him. I would go to the academy with him, but I wasn't given the chance to bowl. The coaches wouldn't hand the ball to me at that time. I felt left out. So, I left cricket in between. I kept complaining at home that they don't give me the chance to bowl,” she added.
Despite stepping away from the game for a period, Nandni’s desire to return never faded. Once she resumed training, a senior cricketer unknowingly altered the course of her career.
"Then, after some time, I felt like playing again. I wanted to give it another try. After that, I saw a senior player running in and bowling fast. I didn't even know at that time that it was called pace bowling. I just watched her and thought, I also want to bowl like that,” Nandni stated.
Despite stepping away from the game for a period, Nandni’s desire to return never faded. Once she resumed training, a senior cricketer unknowingly altered the course of her career.
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“That moment changed everything. Earlier, I didn't even get a ball in my hand. But from that day, I started fast bowling. That is one of my most important memories. That is where my journey as a fast bowler truly began,” she said.