Charani's 12 wickets make her India's highest wicket-taker in a Women's T20 WC edition
Synopsis
At 21, N. Shree Charani has done what no Indian bowler — not Poonam Yadav, not Diana David — managed before: 12 wickets in a single Women's T20 World Cup edition. Already the world's No. 1 ranked T20I bowler, she now has a realistic shot at Amelia Kerr's all-time tournament record of 15 wickets, with India still in the competition.
Key Takeaways
Shree Charani became India's highest wicket-taker in a single Women's T20 World Cup edition on 25 June at Old Trafford, Manchester .
She claimed her 11th and 12th wickets against Bangladesh , surpassing Poonam Yadav's record of 10 wickets set in 2020 .
Her tally of 12 wickets from 4 matches is the joint fourth-highest in a single Women's T20 World Cup edition in history.
Charani is ranked No.
1 in the ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings , the highest-ranked bowler in women's T20I cricket globally.
The all-time single-edition record of 15 wickets — held by New Zealand's Amelia Kerr — is now within her reach, with India having matches remaining.
N. Shree Charani etched her name into Indian cricket history on Thursday, 25 June at Old Trafford, Manchester, becoming the highest wicket-taker for India in a single edition of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup. The 21-year-old left-arm spinner claimed her 11th and 12th wickets of the tournament during India's group-stage clash against Bangladesh, finishing with a match haul that helped restrict the opposition to 136/8.
The Record-Breaking Moment
The milestone arrived in the 20th over of Bangladesh's innings, on the fourth ball of the final over, when Charani dismissed Shorna Akter — her 11th wicket of the tournament — surpassing Poonam Yadav's previous Indian record of 10 wickets set during the 2020 edition. Shorna had advanced down the track looking to clear the boundary but mistimed the delivery, sending it straight to Renuka Singh at cover-point. One delivery later, Charani struck again to take her 12th wicket, extending her own record immediately after setting it.
A Tournament-Defining Campaign
Charani's record-breaking tally of 12 wickets from four matches places her among the most prolific bowlers in Women's T20 World Cup history — joint fourth-highest in a single edition of the tournament. Her campaign has been built on a string of decisive spells: a four-wicket haul against the Netherlands in Leeds, a three-wicket spell against South Africa in Manchester, and now two crucial death-over wickets against Bangladesh. She entered the Bangladesh match already as the tournament's leading wicket-taker.
Notably, against Bangladesh, Charani came on to bowl after Nigar Sultana and opener Juairiya Ferdous had steadied their side following an early collapse. The young spinner returned in the death overs to choke the scoring and deliver when it mattered most — a pattern that has defined her World Cup.
India's Wicket-Taking Records in Women's T20 World Cup
Before Charani rewrote the record books, India's single-edition wicket-taking benchmarks read as follows: Poonam Yadav held the top spot with 10 wickets in 2020, while Diana David had claimed 9 wickets in the inaugural 2010 edition. Poonam also took 8 wickets in both 2014 and 2018, with Radha Yadav matching that tally in 2018. Charani has now surpassed all of them in just four outings.
No. 1 Ranking and What Comes Next
The record haul comes days after Charani climbed to the No. 1 position in the ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings for the first time in her career, making her the highest-ranked bowler in women's T20I cricket globally. With India still having matches remaining in the competition, Charani is now within touching distance of the all-time single-edition record of 15 wickets, held by New Zealand's Amelia Kerr. Three more wickets could rewrite the history of the Women's T20 World Cup entirely.
Point of View
India's spin stocks in T20Is were associated with Poonam Yadav's variations or Deepti Sharma's reliability; a 21-year-old left-armer now holds the world's top ranking and her country's all-time tournament record. The more significant question is whether the selectors and the support staff can protect her workload across a congested calendar, or whether the pattern of burning out young Indian spinners repeats itself. Charani's proximity to Amelia Kerr's all-time record of 15 wickets is the headline, but her consistency across conditions — Netherlands in Leeds, South Africa and Bangladesh in Manchester — is the real story mainstream coverage is underplaying.
NationPress
25 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What record did N. Shree Charani break at the Women's T20 World Cup?
Charani became the highest wicket-taker for India in a single edition of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, claiming 12 wickets in 4 matches during the 2025 tournament. She surpassed the previous Indian record of 10 wickets held by Poonam Yadav from the 2020 edition.
How did Charani take her record-breaking wicket against Bangladesh?
The record-breaking 11th wicket came on the fourth ball of the 20th over, when Shorna Akter advanced down the track looking for a big hit but mistimed the ball straight to Renuka Singh at cover-point. Charani then took her 12th wicket one delivery later.
What is Charani's current ICC ranking?
Charani holds the No. 1 position in the ICC Women's T20I Bowling Rankings, making her the highest-ranked bowler in women's T20I cricket globally. She reached the top spot earlier in the same tournament week.
Who holds the all-time record for most wickets in a single Women's T20 World Cup edition?
New Zealand's Amelia Kerr holds the all-time record with 15 wickets in a single edition of the Women's T20 World Cup. Charani's current tally of 12 wickets puts her three behind that mark, with India still having matches to play.
What were Charani's other notable performances in the 2025 Women's T20 World Cup?
Charani took a four-wicket haul against the Netherlands in Leeds and a three-wicket spell against South Africa in Manchester before her record-breaking two-wicket death-over performance against Bangladesh at Old Trafford. Her consistency across all three matches drove her to the top of the tournament wicket-takers chart.
