For 25-year-old Ayushi Soni from Delhi, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) was supposed to be the stage where her domestic dreams exploded into international stardom. Signed by Gujarat Giants (GG) for Rs 30 lakh at the auction, this pace-bowling all-rounder, right-handed batter and right-arm medium pacer had grinded through zonal T20s with prolific scores that turned heads.
Her international bow came in 2021 during the third T20I against South Africa, though she watched from the sidelines as Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana chased down victory. Fast forward to January 13, 2026: the sixth match of WPL’s fourth edition against Mumbai Indians (MI) at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. Replacing injured Anushka Sharma, Soni finally got her WPL debut, a moment to cherish.
Mumbai won the toss and decided to bowl; Gujarat batting first lost their opener Sophie Devine at just 8 runs. Beth Mooney’s 33 and Kanika Ahuja’s 35 off 18 balls with 4 boundaries and 2 sixes provided some stability then the skipper Ashleigh Gardner had a 20 runs cameo.
Soni walked out at number six, heart pounding under the floodlights. Gujarat Giants, led by Ashleigh Gardner, put 193 on the scoreboard under pressure after Gujrat Giants were 136/4 in 16 overs. The youngster faced 14 balls, scraping 11 runs in gritty defense but no boundaries to ignite the chase. Strike rate stagnant, unable to pierce Mumbai’s field set, her debut flickered without flair.
Then, the unprecedented hammer: at the 16th over’s end, the Giants retired her out, the first such instance in WPL history for any player. Bharti Fulmali joined George Wareham after that they scored 36* and 43* respectively. Together they powered the Giants batting order to a commanding 192.
However, Mumbai chased down 193 in 19.2 overs, openers Gunalan Kamalini and Hayley Matthews scored 13 and 22 respectively but the chase was powered by Harmanpreet Kaur’s unbeaten 71 off 43 balls (7 fours, 2 sixes) and Amanjot Kaur’s explosive 40 including 7 boundaries. Nicola Carey made 38* and helped Mumbai cross the finish line, sealing a commanding 7-wicket win.
This debut Ayushi Soni has come a long way from domestic star to franchise cricket, her raw pace and batting promise to shine brighter than ever. The retire-out, a tough lesson for a 25-year-old, fuels her. She’ll come back stronger next time, performing with fire and determination. Her grit will turn this tough debut into a story of big success. Ayushi’s journey in T20 cricket is just getting started with real promise.
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