At 36, Shikha Pandey’s cricket journey is one of resilience, reinvention, and undeniable excellence. The pace bowling all-rounder recently etched a new chapter by becoming one of the most expensive buys in the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) Mega Auction, securing a Rs. 2.4 crore deal with UP Warriorz.
This milestone illustrates her sustained impact both with the ball and bat across multiple leagues and formats, despite a puzzling hiatus from the Indian national team since her last international appearance in the 2023 T20I World Cup semi-final against Australia. As India celebrates its maiden ICC Women’s ODI World Cup triumph, Shikha’s story of grit, leadership, and tactical acumen embodies the evolving spirit of Indian women’s cricket on and off the field.
Shikha’s last outing for India came on 23 February 2023, in that nail-biting semi-final against Australia, where her incisive bowling figures of 4-0-32-2 stood out. Although India fell short by five runs, Shikha showcased the strength and strategy that made her a vital component of India’s bowling arsenal.
Since then, the veteran has journeyed through cricket’s global landscape, from the WBBL representing Brisbane Heat, with Delhi Capitals, with whom she topped the wickets chart as the best Indian pace bowler in the in the WBBL, to stints in New Zealand’s Super Smash and the Women’s Caribbean Premier League.
This expansive cricketing nomadism has enriched her game, allowing her to sharpen skills, lead teams, and inspire emerging talent, even as she faced the perplexing silence of national selection.
Despite being released by Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2026 WPL Mega Auction, the challenge turned into an opportunity for Shikha. Her eye-catching auction price at ₹ 2.4 CR, second only to Deepti Sharma’s RTM bid by UP Warriorz, signals the premium placed on her wealth of experience and her ability to perform under pressure.
For Shikha, participation in the trial process with UP Warriorz was a first, embodying her undying hunger to contribute, improve, and prove her mettle. “I wasn’t following the auction too intensely, but my mom spotted my name, and I had to watch,” she smiles. “People won’t believe it, but I am just happy to be valued.”
Shikha’s on-field impact extends beyond wicket-taking. In the WPL, she has scored 93 runs at a strike rate of 114.81, reinforcing her role as a dependable lower-middle-order batter. She shares, “I love batting. In domestic cricket, I bat at four. It’s tough to survive as a pure bowler at this age, unless you’re a Jasprit Bumrah. Runs from bowlers win matches.”
Her tactical mindset is sharpened through net sessions alongside batting greats, including Meg Lanning and Jemimah Rodrigues, which helps her anticipate batter strategies and evolve her own bowling craft. “Thinking like a batter will help in the long run,” she explains, citing moments like Shafali Verma’s crucial wickets in the World Cup final as examples of cricketing mind games.
Shikha’s cricket philosophy is deeply rooted in passion and perseverance. Her blog, Accidentally Cheeku, and her analytical approach to training, including the early adoption of performance-tracking tech like Whoop and Garmin, reflect a player constantly learning and adapting. “I carry my own compression boots. I’m aware I’m not 16 anymore,” she confesses.
With robust support from family, coaches, physios, and her fitness network, Shikha has wrestled with rejection and isolation but has never lost sight of the bigger picture: the game’s joy and its power to inspire.
While Shikha watched India’s World Cup triumph from afar, it only fueled her belief in the structural and cultural shifts underway in Indian women’s cricket. She advocates for expanded domestic contracts, improved support systems, and broadened opportunities beyond the traditional Railway job pipeline. “The media attention post-win might push all this along,” she hopes.
As the WPL 2026 tournament approaches, Shikha Pandey stands at a crossroads enriched by decades of lessons, close calls, and moments of individual brilliance. More than just statistics, 43 T20I wickets at 26.16 with an economy of 6.49, and solid batting contributions, for India, her journey resonates with the spirit of every player fighting for recognition and progress.
“I want to be remembered not for the wickets or the runs, but for being a good teammate and human,” she reflects. For Shikha, the joy of cricket remains timeless, fueled by dreams of inspiring a new generation of girls across India’s heartlands to pick up the bat and ball and dream big.
(Quotes sourced from Sportstar)
Loves all things female cricket