Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 27 (IANS) India pacer Renuka Singh marked her return to T20I cricket in emphatic fashion, delivering a match-winning spell as India clinched the five-match series against Sri Lanka with a commanding eight-wicket victory in the third T20I here at the Greenfield International Stadium.
Playing her first T20I in over a year, Renuka finished with outstanding figures of 4/21 from four overs, dismantling the Sri Lankan batting line-up and earning the Player of the Match award. The right-arm pacer missed India’s tour of England earlier this year and was rested for the opening two matches of the series as the team experimented with different bowling combinations.
With the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup less than six months away, Renuka’s performance served as a timely reminder of her importance to India’s plans.
“My performance was good. I have played T20 cricket for a long time, so I am happy. Kerala is my lucky place. I have also played Under-19 cricket here. Whenever I have played, I have taken four wickets. I was excited to come to Kerala. It is my lucky ground,” she said in the post-match press conference.
She also highlighted the team’s broader focus as preparations intensify for the global event. “The bowling department is doing well. The combination of pacers and spinners is good. We are trying to find a better combination for the World Cup. We are trying to keep our standards high so that we can win as many matches as possible. Our motto is to take women’s cricket to the next level.”
Renuka has been India’s leading wicket-taker at the last two editions of the Women’s T20 World Cup, picking up seven wickets in both the 2023 and 2024 tournaments, though India fell short of reaching the final on both occasions. Buoyed by their maiden ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup triumph at home earlier this year, the team is now eyeing a historic first T20 World Cup title in England and Wales in 2026.
According to Renuka, all planning is firmly centred on the upcoming T20 World Cup, which begins on June 12. She revealed she has been working extensively on adding variations to her bowling.
“I go to the NCA (National Cricket Academy) to prepare for any tournament because it works for me. I can do some extra work on my bowling and fitness, and that helps me execute better.
“For the last six months to a year, I have been working on my variations. There shouldn’t be a doubt in my head, so I want to be mentally prepared. I know that if my first over doesn’t go well, I have to come back strong. I just kept thinking what kind of ball would get me wickets on this pitch,” she said.
India have been placed in Group A for next year’s T20 World Cup, alongside Australia, Pakistan, South Africa and two teams yet to qualify from the qualifiers.
–IANS
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