Women’s Cricket League (WPL) kicked off on Friday, January 9, 2026, with Nadine de Klerk emerging as the player of the match. The all-rounder South African player led the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to win against the Mumbai Indians by three wickets. Here’s everything about the WPL 2026 star.
Who Is Nadine de Klerk?
Nadine de Klerk is a ~26-year-old (25 years 359 days) South African all-rounder woman cricket player, currently playing in India’s WPL. She also excelled in field hockey and the javelin, but at the age of 17, she chose cricket. Notably, her international debut match was with the Indian Cricket Team.
Klerk’s batting style: Right-handed
Klerk’s Bowling style: Right-arm medium
She has gained the titles of most explosive hitters in the South African line-up as well as one of its most reliable pacers. Other accomplishments include her earning over 100 international caps.
She played key roles in the WPL, the WBBL, and The Hundred.
Why Is Nadine de Klerk Trending in WPL 2026?
Klerk became the highlight of WLP 2026 with her power-packed performance on January 9, 2026. Starting with her bowling skills to hitting a half-century, she led the WPL’s RCB to win against the MI, reaching 157/7 in 20 overs.
Nadine de Klerk’s Player of the Match Performance
RCB had a strong start from Lauren Bell, but it was Klerk who ended the game with a victory. In the first day match of WPL 2026, Nadine de Klerk became the player of the match with her all-rounder performance.
Source: wplt20
Bowling
Klerk took 4 wickets for 26 runs in her 4 overs.
Batting
Scored 63 off 44 balls.
She chased 18 runs in the final over.
Achievement
Nadine de Klerk’s 2026 performance made her only the second player in WPL history to score 50+ runs and take 4+ wickets in a single match (joining Deepti Sharma).
Nadine de Klerk Biography: Cricket Career
Officially, Klerk’s cricket career took shape at the age of 17. In 2017, she made her international debut with the South African women’s team against India. Since then, she has earned over 100 international cups, played key roles in Women’s Premier League (WPL), Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), and The Hundred
Klerk in the Women’s Premier League (WPL)
Klerk made her WPL debut in 2024 for the Royal Challenger Bengaluru. She replaced Heather Knight and assisted in the team’s WPL championship win.
In 2025, she played for the Mumbai Indians, which also won the championship that year. In short, she has consecutively played for the winning team.
Now in the 2026 WPL, Naine de Klerk is showcasing an even more exceptional performance. She became the player of the match in Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians.
Nadine de Klerk Career Stats & Records
Since her teenage years, Klerk has played as a power-packed player. She also gained popularity due to her clutch performance under pressure. As a result, she exhibited memorable performances nationally and internationally.
International Career Stats
Klerk has represented South Africa in four Tests, 58 ODIs, and 70 T20Is. In Tests, she has scored 114 runs along with four wickets. In ODIs, she has accumulated 934 runs and 68 wickets. Lastly, in the T20 international, she made 667 runs and 52 wickets.
Nadine de Klerk WPL Stats
In the 2023/24 WPL season, Klerk joined the RCB team as a replacement and scored 1 run in her single match. She also took 2 wickets for 35 runs in one inning.
She played 1 match in the 2025/26 season and scored 63 runs. In addition, she claimed 4 wickets while conceding only 26 runs.
| Season | Team | Matches | Runs | Wickets | Best Bowling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WPL 2023/24 | RCB-W | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2/35 |
| WPL 2025/26 | MI-W | 1 | 63 | 4 | 4/26 |
Nadine de Klerk’s Best Career Performances
Nadine de Klerk Player of the Match performance includes her delivery of three wickets for just 19 runs against Australia’s side in the semi-final of the 2020 T20 World Cup. In addition, she scored a 60 in an ODI series against Pakistan in September 2023.
She bowled for a spell of 4 for 32 in one of her games, making it another award-winning performance. Now her performance in the RCB vs MI WPL match is also gaining appreciation
Her Net Worth, Salary & Income
Even at the age of 26, Klerk has showcased an exceptional performance. She has many years ahead of her to continue to gain accomplishments and fortune. Talking of which, Sportsdunia reports that the net worth of Nadine de Klerk is approximately $2 million (₹16 crore).
Also Read: Top 10 Richest Women Cricketers in the World (2026)
Her Salary and Income Sources are:
WPL Salaries
- For WPL 2026. Royal Challengers Bengaluru purchased her for ₹65 Lakh in the November 2025 mega auction.
- For WPL 2025, the Mumbai Indians signed her for ₹30 Lakh.
- For WPL 2024, Royal Challengers Bengaluru brought her as a replacement player. The signing amount was ₹30 Lakh.
Primary Income Sources
Klerk is a contracted player with Cricket South Africa (CSA), so she receives a steady annual retain and match fees, bonuses, winning prize money, etc.
She also plays in the Franchise Cricket Leagues, including WPL and others. That must account for a certain portion of her net worth
Nadine de Klerk Personal Life
Klerk has mostly kept her personal life private. So, there’s no information about her relationships, marriage goals, etc. She has often credited her “sports-mad” family for her success and has revealed that they encouraged her to pursue various sports before she settled on cricket.
Overall, Klerk has made her name in the world of cricket at such a young age. Since it’s the start of the WPL 2026 season, Nadine de Klerk has already set the bar high for other cricketers in terms of performance.