New Delhi [India], November 13 (ANI): Sharing the dressing room and stage with established names such as Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp will be a learning experience for Delhi Capitals' new recruit Nazma Khan, who is eager to make the most of her maiden Women's Premier League (WPL) opportunity.
Delhi Capitals secured the 30-year-old all-rounder for Rs 10 lakh in the accelerated round of the WPL 2027 mini-auction in Kochi, giving her an opportunity to showcase her talent alongside some of the leading names in women's cricket.
Speaking during a media interaction, Nazma said observing the experienced players, understanding their approach and learning from their game awareness would be an important part of her journey with the franchise.
"I feel there are so many big players in our team. There's Jemimah [Rodrigues], Shafali Verma, Laura Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, and Shree Charani. Playing with such big players is a big achievement in itself. Being in the midst of those players on that stage, because every player has a great quality, I feel like observing the opposition and thinking, what can I learn from this?" she said.
Highlighting the qualities she admires in her new teammates, Nazma singled out captain Jemimah's game awareness and Wolvaardt's composure.
"Jemimah is a very busy player. She always calculates, she reads the ball well. Her game awareness is very good. She handles situations very well. And Laura Wolvaardt, her skill, and how calm and composed she is. I feel this is just the beginning for me in life. From every player, I will get to learn a lot. And obviously, it's fun to do my best in the midst of all that," she added.
Nazma's WPL selection comes after an impressive run in domestic cricket, where she has established herself as a consistent performer. She played a key role in Delhi's triumph in the Senior Women's One Day Trophy, picking up 24 wickets during the campaign, before helping North Delhi Strikers win the Women's Delhi Premier League (DPL), where she also claimed the Purple Cap.
Her journey to the WPL, however, has not been straightforward. After spending six years on Delhi's bench, she had brief stints representing Nagaland and Uttarakhand before the televised Women's DPL in 2024 brought her performances into the spotlight and helped attract the attention of scouts.
Currently representing Delhi in the ongoing Senior Women's T20 Trophy Elite, Nazma will now look to translate her domestic success into performances on the WPL stage.
The opportunity also brings her closer to another significant ambition: earning a call-up to the Indian national team.
Delhi Capitals will be led by Jemimah Rodrigues in the 2027 season, with Shafali Verma, Wolvaardt, Marizanne Kapp, Annabel Sutherland, Chinelle Henry and Sree Charani among the other prominent names in the squad.
For Nazma, the immediate focus will be on making the most of the opportunity, learning from her experienced teammates and proving her ability at the highest level of franchise cricket.
Delhi Capitals Women squad for WPL 2027: Jemimah Rodrigues (c), Shafali Verma, Marizanne Kapp, Niki Prasad, Laura Wolvaardt, Chinelle Henry, Sree Charani, Deeya Yadav, Mamatha Madiwala, Nandni Sharma, Lucy Hamilton, Minnu Mani, Annabel Sutherland, Kiran Navgire, Uma Kashvi, Kirstie Gordon, Nazma Khan. (ANI)
Nazma Khan keen to learn from Jemimah, Shafali, Laura as WPL opportunity opens new chapter
