Indian Women Cricketers Shine at Naman Awards 2026
Celebrating Excellence in Women's Cricket
At the Naman Awards 2026 held in New Delhi, India's vice-captain and top-ranked ODI batter, Smriti Mandhana, was honored as the Best International Cricketer-Women. Deepti Sharma received accolades for being the highest wicket-taker last year, while Sree Charani was recognized for her outstanding international debut. This annual event celebrates remarkable achievements and contributions in international, domestic, and age-group cricket.
Smriti Mandhana: A Stellar Performance
"1800 runs in 36 matches with 7 centuries. A year of elegance and consistency. #TeamIndia's vice-captain Smriti Mandhana wins the Best International Cricketer-Women award for the fifth time," the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on social media. Mandhana's impressive performance included the highest runs scored for India.
She made her senior international debut in 2013 with a T20I against Bangladesh, followed by her ODI debut shortly after. Mandhana's Test debut came in 2014 against England, where she scored her first fifty.
Over her career, she has become one of the most prolific batters in women's cricket, being the first Indian woman to score centuries in all three formats. With 288 matches played, she has accumulated 10,277 runs, including 17 centuries and 71 fifties.
Deepti Sharma: The Wicket-Taking Sensation
"Experience, effectiveness, and brilliance. The award for the Highest Wicket-Taker in ODIs for 2024-25 goes to #TeamIndia's Deepti Sharma," BCCI shared on social media. Deepti first gained attention in 2016 when she became the youngest Indian to achieve an ODI five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka at just 18 years old.
She was named Player of the Tournament in the 2025 World Cup, taking 22 wickets and scoring 215 runs, which were pivotal in India winning the trophy. Across 266 matches, Deepti has claimed 341 wickets, including five five-wicket hauls.
Sree Charani: A Promising Debut
"She made a remarkable entrance onto the international stage and has continued to impress! Presenting the Best International Debut-Women award to Sree Charani," BCCI announced. Charani has quickly made her mark with her slow left-arm spin, participating in 34 matches (T20 and ODI) and taking 47 wickets, including a notable four-wicket haul.