Overview

Vaishnavi Sharma (born 2005) is an Indian cricketer who represents the India women’s national cricket team. A left-arm spin bowler from Madhya Pradesh, she made her international debut in December 2025 in a Women’s Twenty20 International (WT20I) against Sri Lanka. She is the first cricketer from the Chambal region to play for India at the senior international level.

She rose to prominence after finishing as the leading wicket-taker at the 2025 ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, playing a key role in India’s title-winning campaign.

Early life and background

Vaishnavi Sharma was born in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India. She began playing cricket at the age of five. Growing up in the Chambal region, an area with limited representation in elite cricket, she trained extensively to pursue the sport professionally.

She developed her cricketing skills at the Tansen Cricket Academy in Gwalior, where she underwent structured training under local coaches. According to interviews, she regularly trained for long hours, focusing on spin control, fitness, and match temperament.

Domestic career

Vaishnavi represents Madhya Pradesh in Indian domestic cricket. She gained national attention through consistent performances in age-group and senior domestic tournaments.

In the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, she emerged as one of the top wicket-takers, claiming 21 wickets in the season. She continued her strong form in the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal T20 Tournament, where she took 12 wickets in five matches, the highest in the competition.

Her performances established her as one of the leading young spin bowlers in the domestic circuit.

International career

Under-19 career

Vaishnavi was selected for the India Under-19 women’s team for the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup held in 2025. She finished the tournament as the highest wicket-taker, taking 17 wickets, and played a significant role in India winning the title.

Her success at the tournament accelerated her progression to the senior national setup.

Senior debut

In December 2025, Vaishnavi Sharma was named in the India women’s squad for the T20I series against Sri Lanka. She made her senior international debut in the first T20I at Visakhapatnam, becoming one of the youngest debutants in the squad.

Notably, she made her India debut without prior experience in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), highlighting the selectors’ emphasis on domestic and age-group performances.

Playing style

Vaishnavi Sharma is a left-arm orthodox spin bowler, known for her accuracy, flight, and ability to take wickets in the middle overs. She relies on consistency and variation rather than pace and has been effective across different formats at the domestic and international youth levels.

Awards and recognition

» Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for Best Woman Cricketer (Junior Domestic Season 2022–23)

» Leading wicket-taker at the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup

» First international cricketer from the Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh