Anushka Sharma out for 'short period' with minor injury

Gujarat Giants (GG) allrounder Anushka Sharma will be out of action for a "short period" after sustaining a minor injury while fielding during the WPL 2026 match against Delhi Capitals (DC) on January 11. GG said in a statement that they hoped to have her "back soon".

Anushka missed the match against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Tuesday and was seen with strapping on her right hand ahead of the game.

"Anushka is under the close supervision of the team's medical staff and is progressing well," a GG statement said. "She will be a big miss for the side, but her health and long-term well-being remain our priority."

GG head coach Michael Klinger said after their defeat to MI that the team was hoping Anushka would be fit again for the start of the Vadodara leg of the WPL on January 19.

"Yeah, we're unsure, we're hoping only a game or two, and then she'll be back," Klinger said at the post-match press conference. "But she just needs a period of rest for her hand, and then we're confident that she'll be back during the [Vadodara] leg.

"It's being assessed, yeah, so [Anushka's hand] is in a sort of a cast now, just to keep it still. For the moment, we're just trying to give her the best chance to sort of heal for a week or so, and then hopefully be right for Baroda."

GG have one more match in Navi Mumbai.

Anushka, who made an impression on her WPL debut with 44 off 30 balls from No. 3 against UP Warriorz, displayed a range of shots during her match-winning 103-run stand with captain Ash Gardner. In the next match against DC, she hit a six and a four in her ten-ball stay, and also stood out in the field with a superb leaping effort at the boundary to deny Jemimah Rodrigues a six. She also bowls offspin but is yet to bowl in the tournament.