Nandani Sharma's Sensational Hat-Trick Stuns WPL, Claims Purple Cap

The 24-year-old right-handed medium pacer from Chandigarh achieved the feat in a sensational final over of the match, bagging three wickets off the last three overs of the innings against Gujarat Giants at Dr. DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. She claimed her maiden five-wicket haul in WPL, ending her four-over spell with a four-wicket final over for figures of 4-0-33-5.

Match 4 of WPL 2026 was looking like it was going Gujarat Giants' way with opener Sophie Devine blazing to 95 off 42 balls, putting on display majestic power-hitting, hammering 32 runs in one over bowled by Sneh Rana, making it the most expensive over ever bowled in WPL.

But Nandani turned the match on its head by claiming her maiden five-wicket haul. After sending back Sophie Devine, getting her caught by Shree Charani, and then came the sensational 20th over of the match. Nandani started with the wicket of Kashvee Gautam off the second ball of the over, and after Tanuja Kanwar took a single off the third ball, claimed the wickets of Kanika Ahuja, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, and Renuka Thakur in the next three balls to claim a memorable hat-trick.

Nandani thus joined Issy Wong, Deepti Sharma, and Grace Harris as the bowlers to take hat-tricks in the WPL.

After achieving her feat, Nandani, who claimed 2-26 in her WPL debut match against the Mumbai Indians on Saturday, claimed the Purple Cap, adorned by the player with the highest wickets.

Nandani said she did not expect such drama when she was asked to bowl the last over.

Asked what her plan for the last over was, Nandani said she only wanted to bowl at the target as advised by her senior teammates Shafali Verma and skipper Jemimah Rodrigues. Rodrigues showed immense confidence in Nandani, and the bowler repaid it with a superb performance.

"I wanted to just bowl at my target. They (Shafali and Jemi) were talking to me every ball, and that was my plan (to bowl at the stumps). I did not expect it (a hat trick), but the team told me I could get wickets," Nandani told the broadcasters in the mid-innings break.

The right-handed medium-pace bowling all-rounder said she turned to her variations on realising that the batters were hitting her stock ball. She was struck back-to-back boundaries by Sophie Devine in her first over and had the last laugh by claiming the wicket of the explosive opener, getting her caught by Shree Charani.

"After my first over, I noticed that they were hitting my stock ball well. After that, I bowled my variations, and thankfully, it worked," she added.

The young player, picked through the mini-auction by Delhi Capitals, noted the support of her family in reaching where she is now.

"My brother, my mother, and my friend are here (watching from the stands). My family is watching at home also, and they have been very supportive," said Nandani, who has caught the eye with her superb bowling in the first two matches of her WPL career.

- IANS