Womens T20 World Cup Radha Yadav and Shree Charani Star as India Restrict Bangladesh

Womens T20 World Cup Radha Yadav and Shree Charani Star as India Restrict Bangladesh

India produced another disciplined bowling performance in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, restricting Bangladesh to 136/8 in their Group A encounter at Old Trafford, Manchester. Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav led the attack with three wickets, while tournament sensation Shree Charani continued her remarkable form by claiming two crucial wickets and scripting history in the process.

Although Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana and opener Juairiya Ferdous displayed admirable resistance with composed innings, India's bowlers maintained control throughout the contest to keep the opposition below what appeared to be a competitive total.

Renuka Singh Provides Early Breakthrough

After Bangladesh elected to bat first, India made an excellent start with the ball.

Experienced pacer Renuka Singh Thakur, returning to the playing XI, struck early by dismissing Dilara Akter for just four runs. Extracting extra bounce from the surface, Renuka forced an error that immediately put Bangladesh under pressure.

The disciplined opening spell from India's seamers ensured Bangladesh managed only 40 runs during the Powerplay despite losing an early wicket.

Juairiya Ferdous Leads Bangladesh Recovery

Following the early setback, opener Juairiya Ferdous counterattacked confidently.

The right-handed batter played attractive strokes through the off-side and regularly found the boundary to shift momentum. Alongside Sobhana Mostary, she added a valuable 51-run partnership for the second wicket.

India, however, were guilty of several dropped catches, allowing Ferdous multiple lifelines during her innings.

Her promising knock ended on 33 off 30 deliveries when Nandini Sharma produced an excellent return catch to break the partnership.

Nigar Sultana Anchors the Innings

Bangladesh skipper Nigar Sultana once again demonstrated her experience by holding the innings together.

While Mostary struggled to increase the scoring rate, Nigar rotated the strike efficiently before launching an aggressive counterattack against Nandini Sharma. The Bangladesh captain collected four boundaries in a single over, briefly raising hopes of a strong finish.

However, India's bowlers responded at the perfect moment.

Attempting to attack Shree Charani, Nigar advanced down the pitch but completely missed the delivery and was smartly stumped. Her valuable 32-run innings from 24 balls came to an end just as Bangladesh looked set to accelerate.

Radha Yadav Leads India's Bowling Effort

India tightened their grip during the final overs with an outstanding spell from Radha Yadav.

The experienced left-arm spinner finished with impressive figures of 3 for 28, consistently breaking partnerships and preventing Bangladesh's middle order from launching a late assault.

Her accurate bowling ensured Bangladesh never built the momentum needed to push beyond the 150-run mark.

Shree Charani Continues Record Breaking Tournament

Once again, Shree Charani proved why she has become one of the biggest stars of the Women's T20 World Cup.

The 21-year-old claimed 2 for 21, including two wickets in the final over, to deny Bangladesh a strong finish.

More importantly, Charani entered the history books by becoming the first Indian woman to take 12 wickets in a single edition of the Women's T20 World Cup, surpassing the previous national record held by Poonam Yadav.

Her remarkable consistency has transformed India's bowling attack throughout the tournament, and she continues to strengthen her reputation as one of the world's leading T20 spinners.

India in Strong Position

Although Bangladesh showed resilience through Nigar Sultana and Juairiya Ferdous, India's disciplined bowling effort prevented them from capitalising on several missed opportunities in the field.

The final total of 136/8 leaves India well placed heading into the chase. With experienced batters and a confident middle order, the Women in Blue will back themselves to overhaul the target and strengthen their position in the race for the semifinals.

For Bangladesh, the innings highlighted both positives and missed opportunities. While their top order showed promise, the inability to accelerate during the death overs proved costly against a disciplined Indian bowling unit.

As the Women's T20 World Cup enters its decisive phase, India's balanced bowling attack, led by Radha Yadav and the record-breaking Shree Charani, continues to emerge as one of the team's biggest strengths in their pursuit of the coveted ICC title.