In a debut that turned heads at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, 20-year-old left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma spoke with remarkable maturity in her post-match press conference following India’s dominant 8-wicket victory over Chamari Athapaththu’s Sri Lanka in the 1st T20I on December 21, 2025.
Returning impressive figures of 4-0-16-0, Sharma silenced any doubts about her readiness for the international stage, helping India’s decision to bowl first by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur at the toss. India took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. With Jemimah Rodrigues earning Player of the Match for her unbeaten 69 off 44 balls, Sharma’s composure extended beyond the field, blending nerves, team spirit, and reflections on India’s historic ODI World Cup triumph into an engaging narrative.
Sharma wasted no time dispelling any notion of disappointment despite going wicketless. “No disappointment, I felt good that I executed my plans well, still 4 matches to go,” she said, her words underscoring a debutant’s focus on the bigger picture in this bilateral series running from December 21 to 30. Admitting to pre-game jitters, she revealed, “I was nervous before the national anthem, and after that I was calm,” highlighting how the symbolic moment steadied her for a spell that conceded just 16 runs in her full quota.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s pre-match endorsement set the tone. Presenting Sharma with her India cap under head coach Amol Muzumdar’s guidance, Kaur reminded her of past exploits: “She was telling me that, in the past, you’ve done really good, given incredible performances, and we’re hopeful that you’ll give your best.” This faith from a skipper who just led India to their maiden senior-level ICC title evidently fueled Sharma’s seamless integration.
The young spinner gelled effortlessly into the champion side. “The atmosphere in the team is very good, everyone is very supportive in everything, so I gelled up easily, because I never felt that I’m coming into the team for the first time,” she shared. Naming Kranti Gaud and Sneh Rana as her initial close friends, “and eventually everyone will be.”
Sharma’s path to debut was confirmed only that afternoon, though her intuition had hinted at it. “I was getting a feeling that I may get a chance. But it was confirmed today in the afternoon only that I’ll be in the playing 11,” she noted. Her parents echoed the no-pressure mantra: “Just do well, that you’ve been doing till now and prove that.”
Team huddles reinforced this mindset, with a visualisation routine she described as: “Whenever we’re in the huddle, they tell us to focus on one thing that is putting all our energy on what good we’re going to do today, so that’s our routine.”
Reflecting on India’s World Cup glory, Sharma recalled her own celebration from afar. “During that time, I was in Nagaland, my seniors were having their zonal tournaments, and I was also watching the match. I was very happy when we won, and we celebrated a lot too as a team. And of course, we’ve all dreamt of this day, to play for India and contribute to the team.”
Eyes now on the 10th ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5, 2026, she remained humbly philosophical: “It’s still too early to tell, but whatever happens will happen for the good, and leaving it in God’s hands.”
Loves all things female cricket