Who is Inoka Ranaweera?
Inoka Ranaweera was the best bowler for Sri Lanka. She took 4 wickets for 46 runs. She dismissed Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Pratika Rawal. Three of those wickets came in a single over. That spell changed the game for a while and put pressure on India.
She was born on February 18, 1986, in Balapitiya. She grew up in a simple family. Her parents were not athletes. Cricket was not just a sport to her. It felt like her calling from a young age. She started out playing street cricket in her small town. She played with whoever was around.
As a kid, she went to school in Balapitiya. Early on, her coaches noticed her talent for the game. She tried bowling fast at first. Over time, she switched to spin. That decision shaped her whole career. She became a slow left arm orthodox spinner. Spin bowling takes patience. It asks for skill more than power. She practiced all the time. Her hands hurt sometimes. She kept going anyway.
By 2011, she had worked her way into the Sri Lankan national team. Her first one day international came in 2012 against the West Indies. It was a proud moment. Her hard work paid off on the field. She kept taking wickets. Over the years, she made herself key to the team. She bowled with a calm, clever style. Batters struggled to understand her deliveries.
Inoka’s reputation grew. She was not just a bowler — she became a leader. She got the captain’s job for the women’s national team. As captain, she had to make vital choices with games on the line. She took her team to matches across the world. World Cups. Commonwealth Games. Asian Games. She handled the nerves and the spotlight. She kept her team together in tough spots.
She has pulled off some rare feats on the field. She became the first Sri Lankan woman to get a hat-trick in one day internationals. Three wickets in a row. She has won cricket awards for her performances in 2016 and 2017. She played for Sri Lanka at major tournaments even in her late thirties. Her career has lasted a long time. Few keep going as long as she has.
Inoka comes from simple roots. She built a cricket life by working hard and not listening to limits. Her style is not flashy but is reliable. She has shown that guts and steady focus can get a player far. Young cricketers in Sri Lanka know her name. She stands as an example of what is possible with enough drive and love for the game.
