Shri Charani (Image Credit: BCCI Women)
New Delhi: Emerging Indian left-arm spinner Shri Charani has equaled the record for the most wickets taken by an Indian bowler in a single edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup, matching Poonam Yadav’s tally of 10 wickets from the 2020 tournament.Sharani reached the milestone during India’s Group A match against South Africa in the ongoing 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in England, achieving the feat in only her third match in the tournament.
The 21-year-old has now taken 10 wickets for 64 runs in 12 overs at an impressive economy rate of 5.33, underscoring her meteoric rise on the world stage.With at least two league matches remaining – and potentially more in the knockout stages – Charani now stands on the brink of making history by becoming the outright record holder.
Most wickets taken by India in a single edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup
- 10 – Poonam Yadav (2020)
- 10 – Shree Sharani (2026)
- 9 – Diana David (2010)
- 8 – Poonam Yadav (2014)
- 8 – Poonam Yadav (2018)
- 8 – Radha Yadav (2018)
Sharani shines despite India’s defeat against South Africa
Charani’s record-equalling performance came in a tense contest at a crucial stage of the tournament, although India eventually fell to South Africa by six wickets.South Africa chased down India’s total of 158/7 with five balls to spare, finishing with the score of 161/4, supported by a brilliant unbeaten 81 from Marizanne Kapp.Kapp, who also contributed with the ball, made the most of two missed opportunities to cement a crucial 97-run partnership with Tazmin Britts (40), which tipped the balance in South Africa’s favour.
India briefly took control through Charani’s brilliance on the power play. She scored twice in a brilliant spell, denying Laura Wolfhardt and Aneri Derksen in quick succession to break South Africa’s early momentum.However, missed opportunities on the field allowed the Proteas to recover, taking full advantage of their lifeline to guide their side home.Earlier, India struggled on a slow pitch and were reduced from 54 for no loss to 83 for four before Deepti Sharma (29) and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (24) settled the innings.
Despite their efforts, India could only post a below-par total.While India fell short in the match, Sharani’s consistency emerged as one of the biggest positives of the season. With two group stage matches remaining and the possibility of qualifying for the knockout rounds, she now has a realistic chance of overtaking Poonam Yadav and owning the record outright.