New Delhi, Sep 27 (NationPress) For India’s left-arm spinner N Shree Charani, who is gearing up for the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, the steadfast encouragement from her mother has instilled in her the confidence to represent her nation.

Originating from the YSR-Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh, Charani ignited a fierce bidding competition during last year’s WPL auction, ultimately being acquired by Delhi Capitals (DC) for INR 55 lakh. Her performance in the league this year left a significant mark.

This success has led her to debut for India in white-ball cricket, and she is now poised to participate in the World Cup, commencing on September 30. "My mother embraced my choice to pursue cricket right away, whereas my father needed about a year to accept it. My mother and uncle have been my pillars of support since day one, while my sister and father needed a bit more time to warm up to the idea," Charani shared.

"My mother always believed that I would achieve greatness in cricket. Once, during a visit to a gold shop in Kadapa, the cashier inquired about my kit bag, to which my mom replied, ‘She plays cricket, and one day she will play for India.’"

"She was the first to have faith in me. Everyone aspires to represent India and play in a World Cup. I feel fortunate to have this chance and will strive to excel for the team and my country," Charani expressed to JioStar.

When asked about her transition from fast bowling to left-arm spin, Charani recounted, "I played cricket with my friends since I was a child. My father enrolled me in a badminton academy at around six years old. After seeing my speed, my PT instructor encouraged me to try kho-kho and athletics, which I pursued for two years alongside cricket."

"In my community, kho-kho and athletics were taken seriously, but cricket wasn’t. By 9th grade, I was competing in district-level cricket, and by 10th, I insisted my father allow me to focus solely on cricket. It took him a year to agree, and then COVID-19 disrupted two vital years in my path."

"In my village, we played on turf, where any ball that went out of bounds was considered out. Initially, I bowled medium pace but wasn’t very effective, as batters rarely got out. That’s when I decided to switch to spin. Once I began bowling spin, I started taking wickets consistently as batters struggled against my deliveries. That marked the beginning of my journey as a spinner," she concluded.