"Not in my mind at all": Delhi Capitals Shree Charani on Rs 1.3 crore price tag pressure ahead of WPL 2026

By Utkarsh Rathour
New Delhi [India], January 4 : A talented left-arm slow orthodox spinner, Shree Charani, is a rising star in India women's cricket.
Charani was born on August 4, 2004, in the village of Kadapa in Andhra Pradesh.
The 21-year-old Shree made her Women's ODI debut against Sri Lanka at Colombo in April 2025. She played her maiden T20I match against England Women at Nottingham in June 2025.
The left-arm spinner has played 18 ODIs, scalping 23 wickets at an average of 36.65. In 10 T20Is, Shree has picked up 15 wickets at an average of 19.26, including one four-wicket haul.
However, her breakthrough came when the left-arm spinner produced a sensational performance at the 2025 ICC Women's Cricket World Cup.
Shree played a pivotal role in India's historic title victory. The 21-year-old spinner finished the tournament as the fourth-highest wicket-taker, claiming 14 wickets in nine matches and earning praise for her performance on the grand stage.
After winning the Women's World Cup, Shree was sold to Delhi Capitals for Rs 1.3 crore at the Women's Premier League (WPL) auction. Previously, she made her WPL debut with the Delhi-based franchise during the 2024-25 edition. Charani played two games and picked up four wickets at an average of 17.75.
Recently, speaking to ANI ahead of the WPL 2026 season, the Delhi Capitals star opened up about her cricketing journey, inspiration, price tag and pressure.
When Charani was asked about how she started her cricketing journey, the 21-year-old replied, "I used to play when I was a kid, and I used to play with my friends. My mama has so much interest in cricket, so he used to tell me. You can also play so it started from there."
Charani revealed that Indian great Yuvraj Singh and women's cricket team opener Smriti Mandhana are her inspirations. "When I was a kid, I thought inspiration was my mama, but now that I've learned proper cricket, I can say Yuvraj Singh and Smriti Mandhana."
Charani, who was sold for Rs 1.3 crore, expressed her happiness after returning to the Delhi Capitals for the WPL 2026 tournament.
"Really grateful to be back with the Delhi Capitals, as I know the coaches and certain players. It will be more comfortable for me. Even in my first year in Delhi, I felt relaxed, though the environment was new to me," she told ANI.
The 21-year-old youngster added that the price tag is not on her mind and hailed WPL's ecosystem for reshaping the landscape of women's cricket.
"No, I'm not preparing, and even if I am preparing for any mystery deliveries in the upcoming WPL season, I will not reveal them," the Delhi Capitals star said.
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 will begin on June 12. Ahead of the marquee tournament, Charani added that the Indian women's side is focusing on the process and is not thinking about winning back-to-back ICC white-ball titles.
"We are just focusing on the process, and we will see what comes next. Furthermore, can't say anything yet, as the ICC T20 World Cup squads haven't been announced yet, but we are looking forward to it," Shree said.