‘Kerala Is My Lucky Place’: Renuka Singh After 4-Wicket Haul vs Sri Lanka

Cricket chatter has lit up social media when India’s swing sensation took centre stage at the Greenfield Stadium. Returning to T20I cricket after a year on the sidelines, Renuka Singh ripped through Sri Lanka’s batting and then cheekily told reporters that the Greenfield Stadium in Kerala has always brought her luck, as she claimed four wickets, helping India win the match by 8 wickets.

Cricket fans are enjoying her comment that came after a match-winning spell, sealing the series by 3-0. This article looks at how her comeback unfolded, the match highlights and what her “lucky place” remark means for India’s plans.

Renuka Singh’s Lucky Return in Ind W vs SL W

The Greenfield outing was Renuka Singh’s first T20I in more than a year, yet she bowled as if she had never been away. Early swing and seam movement helped her remove key Sri Lankan batters such as Hasini Perera, Harshitha Samarawickrama, NilakshikaSilva, and Imesha Dulani, as she finished with figures of 4 for 21. 

Following the magnificent spell, she addressed the press conference, smiling and described the venue as her lucky ground, recalling that she has taken four wickets every time she plays there. 

She further added, “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.” 

Her calm humour belied the nerves of a comeback: the right-arm pacer had missed India’s tour of England and sat out the first two games of this series, but her return underlined how indispensable her new-ball skills are to India’s attack.

Match Highlights: India Women vs Sri Lanka Women

The third T20I in Thiruvananthapuram had a clear script: early wickets, disciplined bowling and a rollicking chase. After captain Harmanpreet Kaur elected to field, Renuka Singh struck in the powerplay, removing Hasini Perera and Harshitha Samarawickrama with deliveries that nipped away late. 

Her figures of 4 for 21 from four overs were complemented by Deepti Sharma’s 3 for 18, with the off-spinner equalling Megan Schutt’s record for most wickets in women’s T20Is. Sri Lanka stumbled to 112/7 despite brief resistance from Imesha Dulani, Hasini Perera and Kavisha Dilhari.

India’s reply was even more emphatic. Opener Shafali Verma smashed an unbeaten 79 off 42 balls, racing to a 24-ball fifty and finishing the chase in just 13.2 overs. Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues departed cheaply, but Shafali partnered with skipper Harmanpreet (21*) to power the hosts to 115/2. 

The eight-wicket win gave India an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series and extended their dominance over Sri Lanka in this format.

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Records and Highlights of the Series

The third T20I produced several milestones, as Deepti Sharma’s three wickets took her to 151 in the format, equalling Megan Schutt’s women’s T20I record. Harmanpreet Kaur’s leadership tally reached 77 wins, surpassing Australia’s Meg Lanning. 

For Renuka Singh, the match served as a springboard for a busy season: India has been drawn in a challenging group at next year’s T20 World Cup and will rely on her swing bowling to unsettle top-order batters. With the win over 8 wickets in the third T20I in the five-match series, Sri Lanka Women will be looking to make a comeback despite losing the series 3-0. 

India Women took the T20I series against Sri Lanka Women in Visakhapatnam, and they won all three matches comfortably. Sri Lanka had put up competitive scores in both games, although in both cases India pursued them with ease, having several overs remaining. Excellent batting by such players as Shafali Verma and Harmanpreet Kaur, and critical bowling by Renuka Singh and Deepti Sharma, guaranteed India a 3-0 series.

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What’s Next in the Series?

After the third T20I match between the India Women and Sri Lanka Women, the Sri Lanka Women’s tour of India is still ongoing, with the remaining two T20I games to be held in Thiruvananthapuram. The 4th T20I will be played on December 28 at 7:15 PM, followed by the 5th T20I on December 30 at the same time. 

After India Women’s dominant performance in the first three games, they currently lead the series 3-0 and will look to complete a clean sweep, while Sri Lanka Women aim to fight back in these concluding encounters.