CHENNAI: When Shikha Pandey came into the 2025 Women's Premier League season, she felt she was in rhythm with regards to her bowling. And with good reason. In the last 12 months, Pandey had played in three T20 tournament finals - WPL, Caribbean Premier League and Women's Big Bash League - and had also taken part in the Super Smash in New Zealand, coming back with a wealth of experiences and memories.
In the very first match against Mumbai Indians, her feeling was reaffirmed. Pandey ran in with the new ball, made it hop around like she had cast a spell on it and returned with the figures of 2/14 in four overs, helping her team get off the mark in a thrilling finish. In less than a week, she was on the receiving end of an onslaught from UP Warriorz's Kiran Navgire upfront and Chinelle Henry in the back end — a 0/43 finish in four overs.
While Delhi went on to win the game, finishing Vadodara leg on a high, Pandey went back to the drawing board. That is what she does after every game. Look back and analyse how she did in terms of execution; write down what worked and didn't work. "For me, it's more about at the top of my run up or just about when I'm about to load, if I want to bowl somewhere, whether I was able to bowl there or whether that did not come through. As a bowler, to have the right plans is very important. Whether you execute them or not is a different case altogether. Like against UPW, there was clarity in my head with respect to where I wanted to bowl and whether I was able to execute that or not. This is something that I've learned from Troy Cooley (coach at BCCI Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru). So I guess it was not the best day with the execution bit, which can get better," Pandey explained to this daily.
It is the process she has followed for years. One that has brought her all the success over the years, and even today. Pandey is the leading wicket-taker among Indian pacers in the WPL (25 wickets till Thursday) and joint-second with Marizanne Kapp among pacers. Nat Sciver-Brunt is the only one ahead with 27 scalps. For Pandey, however, these numbers seem irrelevant. It is about contributing to the team and helping them win.
"If I'm asked to bowl to a plan, which does not fetch me wickets, I'm happy doing it till the time my team wants me to do that. I don't think I would think too much about those stats or all of those things. It's just there's this process of trying to do things, not thinking too much about results, because I've spent a fair amount of time thinking about results and not and in that process, forgetting about the process. So I'm just trying to keep it really short this time. No long term goals and just thinking about one game, one ball, one spell at a time, and which has helped me. So that's something that I've always wanted to do. And in the process, if I get to bowl, if I bowl a few good balls, get a few wickets, that's really nice. But it's mostly about the team's success and how much I can contribute," she said.
And it is something she has done with distinction for DC in WPL, Trinbago Knight Riders in WCPL and Brisbane Heat in the WBBL as they all reached the final before falling short in the summit clash. While Pandey has stopped chasing wickets in the literary sense, what she has done better than most is pile on dot balls. In the three seasons of WPL, no Indian bowler has more dot balls than Pandey (238). She is second among seamers and third overall behind Marizanne Kapp (250) and Sophie Ecclestone (239).
"That's the default setting in white ball games and more so in a T20 game. So as a bowler, you would want to bowl the most number of dot balls and the least number of boundary balls. And someone was mentioning it that you can win one or two games with the batting that you have, but good bowling attacks will win you championships. And by good bowling attacks, what you mean is this, the number of dot balls that you bowl," Pandey added.
Even as the numbers and accolades continue for one of the well-respected bowlers across the globe, the past 12 months has been about enjoying the experience of playing cricket in different environments. "I've made a few friends for life and just to be able to play the sport that I love so much and being given an opportunity and I understand that I am valued. So even if I'm not playing for the country, I'm still being seen as someone who's good enough. So that's really nice. So I've enjoyed my time playing these tournaments. It's till the time I play cricket, probably I would want to be a learner. I learn a new single thing every game that I play. People keep talking about being very experienced, but I think even if you're experienced, you would want to learn as much as you can. So till the time I love it, till the time I'm trying to get better and learn, I'm still striving for excellence and not perfection. That would be really nice. And I've really enjoyed that this year," Pandey reflects.
The 35-year-old, who last played for India in the 2023 T20 World Cup, still has the hunger and drive to represent the country, but she is at peace with her cricket. Pandey credits the franchises she plays for the support and environment they have provided her. "That's a given. If you wouldn't want to do that, I would have different plans altogether. But I am very happy in my skin right now. I have been blessed to have environments which have supported me, which have been there when I've needed them. I've had very few conversations with the coaches at Delhi Capitals, not just during this tournament. Actually, this is very funny. I played against Sydney Thunder and we defeated ST and I went and spoke to Lisa Keightly and I said, 'what did you think of my bowling?' And she is gracious enough to be discussing bowling with me. I've been in touch with Jonathan Batty and they follow my cricket all along. I've been blessed with some great environments. It's fun and that's why I love playing the sport and I would want to get better along the way," she signed off.
