Ayushi Soni wrote an unusual footnote in the Women’s Premier League on Tuesday, becoming the competition’s first retired-out player during Gujarat Giants’ match against Mumbai Indians at DY Patil Stadium.
The 23-year-old right-hander entered at No.6 but never found a rhythm. After 14 balls she had 11 runs, no boundaries and plenty of dot deliveries. With the score 135 for 4 at the end of the 16th over, the Giants’ think-tank chose to retire her out and search for late-innings acceleration.
Retired outs remain rare in women’s franchise cricket: the only previous example came in 2024, when Scotland all-rounder Kathryn Bryce left herself out for Manchester Originals against Northern Superchargers in the Hundred.
Soni was making her WPL debut, filling in for the injured Anushka Sharma. The Giants said Sharma is likely to miss “a short period” after hurting herself while fielding against Delhi Capitals.
The switch almost back-fired. Bharti Fulmali, promoted because of the tactical move, survived lbw shouts on her first two balls thanks to the DRS. She quickly repaid the faith, finishing 36 not out from just 15 deliveries, peppered with three fours and three sixes. Her unbroken 56-run stand with Georgia Wareham lifted Gujarat to a robust 192 for 5.
Analytically, the decision echoed a growing trend in T20 cricket. In men’s competitions there have already been six retired outs in the opening fortnight of 2026, including two in one Super Smash innings and Monday’s high-profile withdrawal of Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan for Melbourne Renegades.
Whether the tactic gains mainstream acceptance in the women’s game remains to be seen, yet the Giants showed they are willing to gamble. For Soni, the episode will sting, but it need not define her. The calendar is young, and so is her WPL career.
