BENGALURU: At 21, NR Sree Charani has already lived a dream most young cricketers barely dare to imagine. From practising on dusty mud pitches in Erramalle village, Kadapa during the COVID lockdowns to lifting the 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup for India — her rise has been nothing short of extraordinary.
“I used to visualize before every match,” she smiles, recalling India’s historic 2025 World Cup win. “I kept thinking India should win by 53 runs and that day we actually won by 52 (against South Africa in the final). The first thing running in my mind was a mix of relief and happiness… like I had done something truly special. It’s a feeling I can’t fully express.”
Things only got better for Sree Charani as she was once again signed by Delhi Capitals in the 2026 Women's Premier League auction for `1.3 crore. To say that her life has completely changed would not be an understatement. But Charani insists the turning point was much earlier. “The biggest turning point was the WPL. If I hadn’t performed well there, I don’t think I would be where I am today,” she says. Her rapid rise began with seniors like Jess Jonassen and Meg Lanning who helped refine her stump-line accuracy. “Before that, I wasn’t consistent. Jess and Meg used to tell me just one thing, trust your strengths and bowl to the right line and field. They always reminded me my rhythm was good… just don’t leave that,” she added.
Despite becoming the second Indian bowler ever to take a four-fer on T20I debut, Sree Charani admits she was overwhelmed that day. “Honestly, I was nervous. In a practice T20 before that, I got hit for 22 runs in two overs. I was scared. But I learn from mistakes. Before my debut match, I kept thinking only one thing, which was learn and execute. Till my third over, that was all that was running in my mind.” said Sree Charani.
Discipline, she says, wasn’t always natural. Her uncle’s long training sessions changed her completely. “I used to be very impatient. I wanted everything fast. But those long hours helped me become calmer, more composed and mature. That maturity shaped the way I play today.”
Even though she comes from a multi-sport background from badminton, athletics, to kho-kho, cricket was one path she never gave up. “Whatever I did, I never stopped playing cricket. After badminton training, I used to come home and play cricket again,” she laughs.
But convincing her father to let her pursue cricket wasn’t easy. She remembers being stubborn and said, “I used to blackmail him during my 10th exams. I told him I wouldn’t write my exams. But eventually he accepted because he also loves cricket. He was only worried about finances. After a year, he supported me fully.”
Her emotional strength, she says, comes from her joint family. “Home always kept me happy. I've never felt alone in my happy or hard times. Even if something bad happened, I bounced back quickly because people were around me.” That grounding helped her stay composed while bowling to icons like Ellyse Perry. “I just think about what I can do and what I want to do. That’s it. I don’t think about anything else.”
She recalls what it felt like playing alongside her role model Smriti Mandhana, saying, “When Smriti di is beside me, I don’t talk much. It still doesn’t feel real. In matches, I talk freely, she always guides me. Still feels unbelievable.”
As for her message to girls playing on small village pitches today, Sree Charani said, “If you want to do something, do it. Don’t think about others or what they’re saying. People will say so many things, but if you want to do something, do it.”
