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Simran Shaikh was the most expensive signing in the WPL 2025 auction.
Simran Shaikh (L) and Virat Kohli. (PC: X)
Gujarat Giants’ new signing Simran Shaikh revealed her two big dreams on Tuesday — earning the India jersey and meeting former men’s captain Virat Kohli. The Giants signed Sheikh for a whopping Rs. 1.9 crore, the biggest amount spent in the 2025 Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction and the second-highest ever on an uncapped player.
Shaikh is a hard-hitting batter who comes from Mumbai’s Dharavi, the largest slum in Asia. She was part of the Gujarat Giants in the 2023 WPL but couldn’t put up any eye-catching performances. Her fortunes turned this year when she started to put up consistent quick cameos. A lot of those came recently in the T20 Challenger Trophy, where she scored 7 sixes and 6 fours and had a stunning batting strike rate of 202.50.
“I like Virat Kohli sir a lot. It’s a big dream to meet him,” Shaikh said in response to an ANI query. “My journey has started now. I want to give my best, work hard. I want one more jersey, which is the India jersey. I will work hard to achieve that dream,” the 22-year-old added.
Shaikh’s journey hasn’t been easy. She and her family endured various stereotypes and taunts from neighbors in her early years.
“Zindagi bhar yeh gali-kuchar mein nikal diya. Zhopde mein rahe. (Our whole lives we have lived near narrow lanes with open gutters in the slum),” Jahid, Shaikh’s father who works as a wireman, told The Indian Express recently. Eleven people in our family live in two rooms. Now with this money, we will buy a good house and live a decent life. Thank God I didn’t listen to friends who told me to dissuade Simran from playing cricket.”
Shaikh also said that she was grateful that her parents never gave up to the difficulties and allowed her to pursue her dream.
“Muslim girls don’t get too many opportunities. First of all, thank God for my mom and dad for supporting me this much. No one got as much freedom in my family. It’s just not common for Muslim girls to be allowed to play sports, so thank God for my parents,” Shaikh told ANI.
