Meet Delhi Capitals cricketer Jasia Akhtar, her inspiring journey from getting threats from terrorists to WPL 2023

Delhi Capitals started their journey with a bang after defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore by 60 runs in their first match of inaugural edition of Women's Premier League (WPL). Australian skipper Meg Lanning and Indian opener Shafali Verma are paired up as an opening pair for the Delhi capitals and the powerhouse showed their impact in the very first game by adding a 163 runs partnership for the first wicket against RCB. 

DC has also caught the spotlight for a player who is yet to play a match in the WPL. Her name is Jasia Akhtar. DC picked the 34-year-old for 20 lacks in the WPL auction 2023. 

Who is Jasia Akhtar?
Jasia Akhtar is the first player from Jammu and Kashmir to be picked by any team in the WPL. She is from Brari Pora village in the Shopian district. The 34-year-old is the eldest of her five siblings and her father Gull Mohammad Wani is a farmer. 

Jasia still remembers a 17-year-old incident that haunts her, when she was held at gunpoint and her father was pleading to the militants, saying, “she will not play for India please let her go”. A lot has changed since then for Jasia. The right-handed batter resumed her cricket journey in 2011 after five years of that horrific incident. “It makes me emotional thinking about all that I have gone through and today I am one of those women who will play the first edition of the Women’s Premier League”, Jasia told TOI in an interview.  

Due to poor infrastructure and extreme winter conditions, Jasia could play only one year for her state and later switched to Punjab for 7 years (from 2013 to 2020). The J&K cricketer currently plays as a professional cricketer for Rajasthan. 

While talking to TOI Jasia also recalled how she used to play wearing bathroom slippers and now that is picked by Delhi Capitals for the WPL, Puma has sponsored her for a lifetime.