Meet 16-year-old Deeya Yadav: WPL’s youngest-ever debutant fondly known as ‘Chhoti Shafali’

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On January 20, 2026, the Delhi Capitals made a move that redefined the WPL‘s history by handing a debut cap to the 16-year-old Deeya Yadav for their crucial Match 13 against the Mumbai Indians. In a high-stakes environment at the Vadodara stadium, the teenager didn’t just participate; she dominated, smashing six massive sixes that cleared the ropes with a level of ease usually reserved for seasoned internationals. By choosing this specific moment to give the 16-year-old her debut, the Capitals’ management showed immense faith in her fearless intent, allowing her to walk out to play alongside her idol, Shafali Verma.

1. Youngest ever to join the WPL: Deeya has officially etched her name in the record books as the youngest player ever to be bought and play in the Women’s Premier League. At 16 years and 103 days, she eclipsed Mumbai Indians’ G Kamalini, who had set the previous mark in 2025, record of 16 years and 213 days. Signed for INR 10 lakh in the 2026 mega auction, Deeya’s entry at such a tender age marks her as a generational prodigy whose physical maturity and power-hitting are already viewed as elite-level.

2. Birth, early spark and the ‘Indoor Academy’:  Deeya was born on October 9, 2009, in Pune, where her cricketing seeds were first sown. Inspired by India’s 2017 World Cup run, she convinced her father, Rakesh Yadav (a former Delhi U-19 player), to let her play. For nearly a year, since she was only eight, her father would bowl to her inside their house every single day to sharpen her reflexes. This intimate, early training laid the foundation for her hand-eye coordination before she became the first-ever female student at the Aryans Cricket Academy in Pune.

3. Parental sacrifice and the strategic move to Haryana: The trajectory of Deeya’s career was saved by a massive family decision during the COVID-19 pandemic. As lockdowns halted training in Pune, the Yadav family relocated to Gurugram in 2020, , specifically to enroll her in the Shri Ram Narain Cricket Academy. This move was instrumental, as it placed her under the umbrella of the Haryana Cricket Association (HCA), which is renowned for its high-performance culture and fitness standards. Her father, an IT professional, even managed the family finances through the demanding costs of top-tier equipment and academy fees, ensuring Deeya had a ground near their home where he could continue throwing balls to her when formal academies were closed.

4. The historic double-century: Deeya’s name became a sensation in November 2023 during the Women’s Under-15 One-Day Trophy in Raipur. While 35 overs constituted an innings, she played a marathon unbeaten knock of 213 runs off just 125 balls. She finished the tournament as the second-highest run-getter with 578 runs, averaging a staggering 96.33, and even struck a century in the final against Delhi to help Haryana lift the trophy.

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5. Breaking through to the senior level: Despite her young age, Deeya’s transition to senior cricket was lightning-fast, making her breakthrough in the 2023-24 season. In the lead-up to the WPL auction, she maintained incredible consistency across three formats: scoring 298 runs in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, 151 in the Inter-Zonal T20, and 255 in the U-23 tournament. This “breakthrough campaign” proved she could dominate not just her peers, but seasoned professional bowlers.

6. A unique power-hitting technical profile: While scouts call her ‘Chhoti Shafali’ due to her unadulterated power, DC scout Ananya Upendran notes a key technical difference. Unlike the leg-side dominance Shafali showed early on, the 5’8″ Deeya is exceptionally strong off the front foot and feeds off width, showing great fluency through the off-side. Her tall presence allows her to handle high-velocity pace comfortably, making her a versatile threat in the powerplay, a quality that prompted DC CEO Sunil Gupta to track her since she was just 14 years old.

7. The Vegetarian ‘Power’ discipline: To maintain the strength required to clear 65-meter boundaries, Deeya follows a strict vegetarian lifestyle that requires extreme discipline during tours. Because sourcing protein can be difficult while traveling, her mother, Pinky, ensures she has a steady supply of specific nutrients, and Deeya is known to eat raw paneer straight from the packet to meet her high-protein needs. This commitment to nutrition, combined with the rigorous HCA fitness regime, is the secret behind her ‘unadulterated power’ and explosive bat speed.

8. The auction gym session and future goals: Deeya famously found out she had been picked for the WPL while she was in the middle of a gym session in Thiruvananthapuram. During the 2026 auction, she was huddled around a mobile phone with her teammates between sets, and the gym erupted in cheers when the Delhi placed the winning bid. Despite the sudden fame of becoming a WPL star, she remains focused on her next big objective: representing India in the U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2027 and helping the senior team finally lift a world trophy.

It had to be Dilli. It had to be Shafali handing her the cap 💙❤️

Go well, Deeya 👊

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) January 20, 2026

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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.