The Gujarat Giants player had led her team to glory in Vidarbha's VCA Women’s T20 League.
Gujarat Giants’ explosive middle-order batter, Bharti Fulmali, has opened up on earning a recall to the Indian team after a huge seven-year-long gap. She has been included in the Women in Blue squad for their T20I series in Australia, scheduled to begin on February 15.
India Women’s white-ball squad for Australia series
The right-hander has showcased her batting prowess in the latest two seasons of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) to get back to India’s T20I squad. Earlier, she had played only two matches against England at home since her debut in the format in 2019.
“I thought my chance to play for India had gone. I didn’t think I would be making my comeback. The age factor was also there. I am 31, so it is more difficult to make a comeback. But I am very grateful to get the opportunity,” she said to Sportstar.
Notably, after a sub-par 20-ball 18 in her international debut, the batter also failed to chase 25 runs in 4.5 overs in the second outing. Coming in at No.5, Fulmali was dismissed for just five runs off 13 deliveries as India missed out on avoiding a whitewash by one run.
“I did think about it. I was blamed when I played for India for the team’s loss. I felt for a whole year that I was responsible. But then, I thought that I should just play well for my State even if I don’t make it again to the highest level, and that was a new beginning,” added Fulmali.
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh (WK), Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shreyanka Patil, Sneh Rana, Renuka Singh Thakur, Amanjot Kaur, Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Bharti Fulmali, G. Kamalini (WK), and Arundhati Reddy.
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The 31-year-old has established herself as a hard-hitter and is carrying on a blistering form in the WPL 2026. She has scored 111 runs in six matches at a fierce strike rate of 163.23. This also includes her blazing 36 not out off just 15 deliveries, after retiring out Ayushi Soni in the Giants’ lineup against the Mumbai Indians (MI).
Check out the latest WPL 2026 news and updated points table here
From 136/5 after 16 overs, her batting blitz fueled the side’s score to a fighting total of 192/5. Earlier, she had also put up an astonishing 25-ball 61 facing MI in the penultimate group-stage fixture of the WPL 2025. However, the batter would look to make the most of her opportunities during the tour down under.
A pulsating run of form against Australia might also earn Fulmali a place in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad. The 20-over championship will take place in England, starting on June 12.
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