New Delhi, 06 July (H.S.):

Although India failed to progress beyond the group stage of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, left-arm spinner Sri Charani emerged as one of the tournament's brightest performers by finishing as the highest wicket-taker. She claimed 14 wickets in five matches to end the competition as the leading wicket-taker of the tournament.

Sri Charani delivered consistently impressive performances throughout the World Cup. Her best outing came against the Netherlands, where she returned outstanding figures of 4 for 19. She also picked up 3 for 21 against Pakistan, 3 for 24 against South Africa, 2 for 21 against Bangladesh, and 2 for 32 against Australia.

With her remarkable tally, Sri Charani finished ahead of several established international bowlers, including Australia's Sophie Molineux, Pakistan captain Fatima Sana, and England's Sophie Ecclestone, whose team finished runners-up. Molineux took 11 wickets in seven matches, while Fatima Sana also claimed 11 wickets in five games. Ecclestone finished with 10 wickets in seven matches, and West Indies captain Hayley Matthews also took 10 wickets in six games.

While India's World Cup campaign fell short of expectations, Sri Charani's outstanding performances emerged as one of the team's biggest positives. Her consistency with the ball has provided fresh optimism for India's prospects in future global tournaments.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar