Shreyanka Patil Celebrates First Five-Wicket Haul in T20s Amid Injury Comeback

In a thrilling match, Shreyanka Patil of Royal Challengers Bengaluru celebrated her first five-wicket haul in T20 cricket, marking a triumphant return after a lengthy injury hiatus. Her performance, alongside key contributions from teammates, led RCB to a solid victory over the Gujarat Giants. Shreyanka reflected on her challenging journey back to the game, emphasizing the support from her family and coaches. With her sights set on making an impact in every match, she aims to continue her impressive form. Read on to discover more about her inspiring comeback and the match highlights.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 17, 2026, 02:15 IST

RCB's Stellar Performance Against Gujarat Giants

In Navi Mumbai, following a victory against the Gujarat Giants, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) spinner Shreyanka Patil shared her excitement about achieving her first five-wicket haul in T20 cricket. This milestone comes after a challenging year-long recovery from an injury that significantly impacted her cricketing journey and personal life.

Key contributions from Radha Yadav, who scored 66 runs off 47 balls, along with Richa Ghosh's 44 runs from 28 balls and Nadine de Klerk's quick 26 runs off 12 balls, helped RCB recover from a precarious position of 43 for 4 to finish at 182 for 7. This solid total allowed Shreyanka (5/23) and Lauren Bell (3/29) to shine with the ball, restricting the Gujarat Giants to 150 runs, thus winning by 32 runs.

During the post-match presentation, Shreyanka credited Radha for her crucial innings, stating, "Without her performance, we might not have reached that score. It was a huge boost for our confidence, especially after being four wickets down."

She also mentioned that the dew factor was not as significant during their bowling spell and expressed her joy over her five-wicket achievement, saying, "I am thrilled to have secured my first five-wicket haul in T20s."

Reflecting on her lengthy absence from the game, which lasted nearly 14 months and included missing major tournaments like the WPL 2025 and the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, Shreyanka described the experience as a "rollercoaster ride."

She emphasized the importance of her support system, including her family and coaches, who helped her through this tough period. "Being away from cricket for so long was tough for me, as I thrive on being active on the field," she added.

Shreyanka expressed satisfaction with her preparation leading up to the tournament, crediting her coach Arjun for helping her refine her bowling skills. She stated, "I aim to be a wicket-taking bowler, and I believe my hard work is paying off. I want to make an impact in every phase of the game."

She also highlighted the significance of keeping her bowling simple, noting that her stock ball is effective on the current pitch. Additionally, she acknowledged the advantage of bowling against left-handers, as emphasized by her captain Smriti Mandhana.

Mandhana praised the 105-run partnership between Richa and Radha, calling it a "special moment" in the match. She noted that Radha's promotion in the batting order was strategic, given her experience in similar roles for her state team.

While acknowledging the strengths of their bowling lineup, Mandhana pointed out the need for improvement in fielding, admitting that they dropped two easy catches during the match.

Gujarat Giants captain Ashleigh Gardner expressed disappointment in their chase, stating that they had aimed to bowl first and believed they could have performed better. She recognized Radha's strong batting and acknowledged that their finishers needed to step up earlier in the innings.

Gardner concluded by emphasizing the need for her team to improve their chasing strategy as they head into the next leg of the tournament.