Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 26 (NationPress) Indian Women’s fast bowler Renuka Singh Thakur expressed her happiness after achieving a remarkable four-wicket haul in the eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka Women during the third T20I. Nonetheless, she revealed her ongoing pursuit for the rare five-wicket haul in the T20 format.

This match marked the inaugural international women’s contest at the Greenfield International Stadium, where Renuka showcased her skills by taking 4-21, aiding India in limiting Sri Lanka to 112/7.

"I’m really thrilled. Five-wicket hauls elude me; I often settle for four. Achieving a five-for is a goal I’m determined to reach. I train at the NCA (CoE) to prepare for tournaments as it benefits my bowling and fitness, leading to better execution on the field," said Renuka during the post-match presentation.

With this performance, Renuka now holds the record for the most four-wicket hauls by an Indian bowler in women’s T20Is, with four, surpassing leg-spinner Poonam Yadav, who has three. Her 4-21 is the second-best figures by an Indian bowler in T20Is, trailing only Daina David’s 4-12 recorded at Basseterre during the 2010 T20 World Cup.

“Harmanpreet was incredibly encouraging, pushing me to capture five wickets, aware of my four-wicket history. I recall the advice from Jhulan (Goswami) di, emphasizing that achieving five wickets demands greater effort. That’s my focus - to work diligently for the five-wicket milestone,” Renuka added.

In her T20I encounters against Sri Lanka, Renuka has participated in eight matches, securing 11 wickets with an average of 14.81, a strike rate of 15.2, and an economy rate of 5.82. She concluded by stating that she is utilizing the present series to refine her preparations for next year’s T20 World Cup in England.

“I aimed to enhance my skills during this series, ensuring that when I face teams like Australia or participate in the World Cup, there’s no uncertainty regarding my slower deliveries or other aspects. I want to be mentally prepared. If my first over doesn’t go as planned, I evaluate what adjustments are necessary for future deliveries,” she said.