Kashvi Kandikuppa, also known as Uma Kashvi, made history at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2027 auction when Delhi Capitals bought her for ₹10 lakh, her base price. Born on April 9, 2011, she was 15 years and 202 days old, making her the youngest player ever bought at a WPL auction. She moved past the previous record held by Deeya Yadav, who was 16 when selected last year. The auction was held on October 28, 2026, at the Grand Hyatt in Kochi.
Kashvi comes from Karnataka and is a right-handed batter and right-arm off-spinner. Her cricket journey began at around seven and a half, when she joined an academy near her home. At nine, she received the Young Talent Award at the India Nippon Cup and shared a dressing room with India players Veda Krishnamurthy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma and Shreyanka Patil. At 12, she scored an unbeaten 217 in a junior club-level inter-school tournament in Bengaluru.
Her coach, Arjun Dev, said her ability was clear from a young age. “I think we knew she was special from a very young age. When she was eight or nine, she was already playing in local tournaments with senior players, and everyone knew she had extraordinary talent.” Kashvi later captained Karnataka Under-15 and led Bengaluru Blasters in the Maharani Trophy, Karnataka’s women’s T20 competition. In the 2025 edition, she scored 48 runs from 42 balls against Mysore Warriors.
She marked the 2025–26 Women’s Under-15 One-Day Trophy, finishing as the leading run-scorer with 516 runs at an average of 172. Her tally included three centuries and one half-century. On January 10, 2026, she scored an unbeaten 158 from 66 balls against Manipur, with 23 fours and seven sixes. Karnataka made 321 for five in 35 overs at Aditya Academy Ground in Kolkata and won by 275 runs.
Kashvi represented India Under-19 against Sri Lanka, taking four wickets in three T20 matches and two wickets in two one-day matches. At domestic Under-19 level, Karnataka reached the semi-finals of the Women’s Under-19 One-Day Trophy. On October 22, 2026, she played in the Karnataka Under-19 T20 Trophy quarter-final against Vidarbha. She took three wickets for 18 runs in four overs and scored 11 from 13 balls. Karnataka defended 140 for seven to win by six runs, and Kashvi was named Player of the Match.
Dev has praised her fielding and ability to understand matches quickly. “She’s a gun fielder to start with. She’s one of the better fielders around, and she knows how to win games at the lower levels. Obviously, the level of competition will be different, but as I said, she understands the game quickly, and I’m sure she’ll be able to adapt to the pace of the game at that level as well,” Arjun said. He has also pointed to her maturity and understanding of her abilities as qualities that stand out for her age.
Kashvi’s availability for the WPL is uncertain because she is part of India’s Under-19 World Cup setup. The tournament is scheduled in Bangladesh and Nepal, and its dates may overlap with the WPL. Dev told India Today: “I think it came as a surprise to everybody. She most likely won’t be available, as she’s part of the Under-19 World Cup setup. But it’s always good to have a pleasant surprise like that,” Arjun told India Today.
Kashvi’s achievements include scoring 217 not out at 12, leading the Under-15 One-Day Trophy run charts with 516 runs at an average of 172, and taking four wickets in three Under-19 T20 matches. Her unbeaten 158 against Manipur and three-wicket performance against Vidarbha further underline her contributions in age-group cricket. Delhi Capitals have signed her for ₹10 lakh, setting a new age record at the WPL auction. Her next step will depend on her Under-19 commitments and continued development.
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