Aavishkar Salvi, the bowling coach for the Indian women’s cricket team, has expressed high regard for young spinner Sree Charani, calling her an ‘exceptional talent.’ This commendation comes just before India’s second match in the ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 against Hong Kong, China Women, set for Thursday.
Charani, currently the top-ranked bowler in the ICC T20I rankings, was instrumental in India’s convincing 94-run win over Thailand Women in their opening match on Sunday, where she achieved remarkable bowling figures of 2/10 in three overs, helping to bowl Thailand out for a mere 65 runs while defending a target of 160.
Salvi’s Insights on Charani
During a pre-match press conference, Salvi highlighted Charani’s significant contributions to the team, her dedication to mastering the fundamentals, and her enthusiasm for learning. He praised her training regimen, noting that she consistently puts herself in various match scenarios to improve her skills.
“She has made a remarkable impact since joining the Indian women’s cricket team. Within just a year, her rise in the rankings is evident. Charani focuses on her basics during practice and is always eager to learn new techniques. Observing her practice sessions reveals that she challenges herself with different situations each time she trains, allowing her to express her skills effectively,” Salvi remarked.
India’s Strong Start in the Tournament
In their opening match of the tournament, India scored 159/9, led by Shafali Verma’s explosive innings of 64 runs off 36 balls. The Indian bowlers dominated, dismissing Thailand for just 65 runs in 16.1 overs. Deepti Sharma was particularly impressive, taking 3 wickets for no runs in just over an over, while Nandni Sharma also contributed with 3/18 and Charani with 2/10. Although Thailand’s Nannapat Koncharoenkai managed to score 41 runs off 48 balls, the rest of the batting lineup struggled significantly.
Shafali’s innings included eight fours and three sixes, providing a solid foundation for India’s total. Pratika Rawal, making her T20I debut, supported her with a score of 22 runs before Thailand’s bowlers began to take regular wickets, with Suleeporn Laomi being the standout bowler for Thailand with figures of 3/26.
Additionally, this match marked a milestone for Deepti Sharma, as it was her 150th T20I appearance, making her only the third Indian player to achieve this feat, following in the footsteps of Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana.
Looking Ahead
India aims to continue their winning streak as they prepare to face Hong Kong, China Women on September 3.