Renuka Singh Thakur stole the spotlight in the third T20I against Sri Lanka on December 27, 2025, at the Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, ripping through the batting lineup with match figures of 4-1-21-4 to earn Player of the Match honours.
Her spell restricted Sri Lanka to 112/7 after India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and bowled first, paving the way for an emphatic eight-wicket victory with 40 balls to spare. This win clinched the five-match series 3-0 for India, following seven-wicket triumphs in the first two games, as the hosts, under Kaur and head coach Amol Muzumdar, eye consistency ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5, 2026.
In her post-match press conference, the 29-year-old right-arm pacer beamed with pride, reflecting on a triumphant return after over 12 months away from T20Is. “It’s an awesome feeling to win the series. Happy with my performance, as I was playing T20 Cricket after a while,” she said. Renuka’s last T20I came in December 2024 during the home series against West Indies, being sidelined due to fitness concerns. She eased back via the ODI series against Australia in September 2025, ahead of India’s historic ODI World Cup glory.
Kerala’s pitch unlocked something special for Renuka, who called it her “lucky place.” “I’ve played my under-19 cricket here. Whenever I’ve played, I’ve almost taken a 4-wicket haul every time. So, I was very excited to come to Kerala, it’s a lucky ground for me,” she revealed. “I’ve always performed well in Kerala in whatever cricket I’ve played here. Some places are such that there’s always some of my good memories, which motivates me.”
Sitting out the first two games as India tested bowling combos, her insertion proved decisive, blending pace with the spinners in a unit firing on all cylinders. Renuka praised the attack’s balance while nodding to bigger goals. “The bowling department is doing really well now; the combination of spin and pace is suiting very well. So, we’re trying to experiment with the combinations for the upcoming T20 World Cup,” she noted.
With India in Group A alongside Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, and two qualifiers from next month’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Nepal, her timely reminder echoes her past exploits, leading wicket-taker with seven scalps each at the 2023 and 2024 T20 World Cups. “We want to keep our standards high, try and win as many matches as possible, and we want to maintain that consistency after the highs of a World Cup triumph. Our motto is to take women’s cricket even higher.”
Fresh off Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 2024 WPL title under Smriti Mandhana, Renuka switched to Gujarat Giants for the fourth edition (January 9 to February 5, 2026), snapped up for ₹60 lakhs in the November 27 mega auction. First phase at DY Patil, Navi Mumbai; knockouts at Kotambi, Vadodara. Her Kerala blitz signals India’s T20 intent: building on ODI euphoria to chase that elusive T20 crown.
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