Pooja Vastrakar: The Rising Star of Indian Women’s Cricket
Role: Bowler
DOB: September 25, 1999
IPL Team (2026): Mumbai Indians
Base Price: 1.9 Crore (WPL 2023 Auction)
IPL CAREER STATISTICS (Updated April 2026)
Batting & Fielding
| Year | Mat | Inn | NO | Runs | HS | Avg | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s | CT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career | 17 | 9 | 5 | 72 | 18* | 18.00 | 50 | 144.00 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 5 |
| 2024 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 36 | 18* | 18.00 | 22 | 163.63 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2023 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 36 | 15* | 18.00 | 28 | 128.57 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
Bowling
| Year | Mat | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | Avg | Econ | SR | 4W | 5W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Career | 17 | 288 | 379 | 8 | 2/31 | 47.37 | 7.89 | 36.00 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 7 | 120 | 163 | 3 | 1/14 | 54.33 | 8.15 | 40.00 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 10 | 168 | 216 | 5 | 2/31 | 43.20 | 7.71 | 33.60 | 0 | 0 |
The Story of Pooja Vastrakar: The Rising Star of Indian Women’s Cricket
From the dusty grounds of Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh, Pooja Vastrakar emerged as a raw, undeniable talent, destined to inject pace and power into Indian cricket. A right-arm medium-fast bowler with a penchant for hitting the deck hard, Pooja quickly caught the eye of national selectors. Her journey, however, has been punctuated by injuries, testing her resilience and resolve. Each comeback has only hardened her spirit, making her a more formidable competitor.
Pooja’s entry into the Women’s Premier League (WPL) was a significant moment, marking her as a prized asset in the inaugural auction. Her ability to bowl at genuine pace, often touching speeds that trouble the best batters, combined with her explosive lower-order hitting, made her a perfect fit for the T20 format. She isn’t just a bowler; she’s an athlete, a livewire in the field, capable of turning games with a brilliant catch or a crucial run-out.
Her playing style is characterized by aggression. With the ball, she aims for the stumps, often mixing up her lengths to keep batters guessing. While sometimes prone to being expensive, her wicket-taking ability, especially in the middle overs, is undeniable. With the bat, Pooja is a fearless striker, unafraid to take on the bowlers, capable of clearing the ropes with ease. Her cameo appearances have often provided the much-needed impetus or a late flourish to her team’s innings, making her a true all-round package.
IPL Journey: Team by Team
Pooja Vastrakar’s WPL journey has, to date, been synonymous with the Mumbai Indians. In the historic inaugural WPL 2023 auction, she was snapped up by MI for a substantial 1.9 Crore, making her one of the most expensive uncapped Indian players. This investment highlighted the franchise’s belief in her all-round capabilities and her potential to be a game-changer.
As part of the Mumbai Indians squad in WPL 2023, Pooja played a crucial role in their championship-winning campaign. While her statistics might not always tell the full story, her presence provided depth and balance to the team. She featured in 10 matches, contributing with vital spells and quickfire runs when needed. Her best bowling performance of 2/31 against UP Warriorz showcased her ability to break partnerships.
She continued with the Mumbai Indians in WPL 2024, further cementing her place as a valuable member. Despite facing stiff competition for a spot in the playing XI, she consistently delivered impactful performances, particularly with her improved strike rate with the bat. Her journey with MI exemplifies her role as a utility player, ready to step up in any situation and contribute to the team’s success.
What Makes Them Special: Betting Perspective
For bettors, Pooja Vastrakar represents a high-impact, high-risk, high-reward proposition. Her primary strength lies in her genuine pace and ability to hit the deck hard, which can be devastating on pitches offering even a hint of bounce. She thrives in conditions where the ball comes onto the bat, making her a potential wicket-taker against top-heavy batting lineups susceptible to pace early on. Look for her to perform well on fresh pitches or against teams with a history of struggling against express pace.
With the bat, Pooja is a power-hitter, making her an excellent candidate for “Player to hit a Six” or “Total Sixes” prop bets, especially when she comes in during the death overs. Her strike rate of 144.00 across her WPL career underscores her aggressive intent. However, her batting contributions are often cameos, so betting on her for “Most Runs” might be a stretch unless she’s promoted up the order.
Her main weakness from a betting standpoint is her economy rate, which can sometimes be on the higher side (7.89 career WPL). On flat tracks or against strong hitting lineups, she can be expensive, making “Player to concede fewest runs” or “Most Wickets” bets against her riskier. Her consistency in wicket-taking isn’t always top-tier, so consider her more for impact moments rather than guaranteed returns. Bet on her when her team needs quick runs or a breakthrough wicket, especially if the pitch favors fast bowlers. Bet against her for economy-related props on batting-friendly surfaces.
Key Records & Milestones
- Part of the inaugural WPL-winning squad with Mumbai Indians in 2023.
- One of the most expensive uncapped Indian players in the WPL 2023 auction, bought for 1.9 Crore.
- Known for bowling some of the fastest deliveries among Indian women pacers in the WPL.
- Achieved her best WPL bowling figures of 2/31 against UP Warriorz in WPL 2023.
- Recorded her highest WPL score of 18* (off 8 balls) against Royal Challengers Bangalore in WPL 2024, showcasing her explosive hitting.
IPL Season Highlights
WPL 2023: The Champion’s Contribution
Pooja Vastrakar was an integral part of the Mumbai Indians’ historic WPL title triumph. Playing 10 matches, she provided crucial depth to their bowling attack and explosive power with the bat. Her standout bowling performance came against UP Warriorz, where she picked up 2 wickets for 31 runs, helping restrict a strong batting lineup. While her batting numbers were modest, her ability to hit quick boundaries in the lower order, like her 15* off 10 balls against Gujarat Giants, often provided vital impetus in tight situations, proving her value beyond just statistics.
WPL 2024: Power-Hitting on Display
In WPL 2024, Pooja continued to be a key player for the Mumbai Indians, featuring in 7 matches. This season, her batting strike rate saw a significant jump to 163.63, highlighting her improved hitting prowess. Her most memorable batting cameo was an unbeaten 18 runs off just 8 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore, a blistering knock that included two fours and a six, demonstrating her capability to change the momentum of an innings in a flash. With the ball, she picked up 3 wickets, including a crucial 1/14, showing her ability to bowl economically when required.