Diya Yadav made a name for herself in the annals of records when she played in the Women’s Premier League, or Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026, marking a milestone as the youngest player to debut. She made history at a tender age of only 16 years and 103 days.
Historic Debut for Delhi Capitals
The historic occasion was witnessed on the occasion of the 18th game of WPL 2026, played on January 20, 2026, at BCA Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara. Diya Yadav has been selected in the playing eleven of Delhi Capitals instead of Minnu Mani. With this match, Diya has broken the record of G Kamalini and has become the youngest player to make a WPL debut ever.
Diya Yadav Breaks G Kamalini’s Record
Prior to Diya Yadav, the previous youngest record in WPL was held by G Kamalini, who made her debut in 2025, aged 16 years and 213 days. Diya Yadav surpassed that record by more than three months, emphasizing her excellent early development.
Youngest Players to Debut in the Women’s Premier League
Here is a list of the five youngest players to debut in WPL history:
Diya Yadav (Delhi Capitals) – 16 years, 103 days
G Kamalini (Mumbai Indians) – 16 years, 213 days
Shabnam Shakil (Gujarat Giants) – 16 years, 263 days
Parshavi Chopra (Mumbai Indians) – 16 years, 312 days
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Alice Capsey (Delhi Capitals) – 18 years, 205 days
Who Is Diya Yadav?
Diya Yadav comes from Haryana, but she has already transformed herself into one of the most promising young batters in women’s Indian cricket. Because of her fearless character and consistency at the domestic level, she gained huge popularity from talent scouts in all WPL teams.
Notable Domestic Cricket Achievements:
Diya Yadav had a remarkable season in the 2025-2026 Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, where she could manage to score nearly three hundred runs in eight matches with a strike rate of one hundred thirty.
This performance is very impressive when you take into account that she is from her age group and also has had to bat against older, more experienced players. She has also had an excellent performance while playing for North Zone in the Senior Inter-Zonal T20 Trophy, where she scored over one hundred fifty runs to lead her team into the finals.
Delhi Capitals’ Investment in Diya Yadav
Realizing her huge potential, Delhi Capitals bought Diya Yadav for ₹10 lakh in the WPL auction. The team’s decision proved correct when Diya smashed a record breakthrough innings on her debut and became one of the youngest investments to be seen playing in a WPL match.
‘Chhoti Shafali’: Inspired by Shafali Verma
Diya Yadav’s style of play is inspired by Shafali Verma, the explosive opener for India, who is Diya’s idol. Diya has also exhibited a fearless and aggressive batting technique like Shafali, making her one of the new breakout stars of cricket.
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