Meet Bharti Fulmali, India's X-Factor Heading Into T20 World Cup 2026

Bharti Fulmali (Source: X.com/ICC & Instagram/Bharti Fulmali)Fresh from their historic ODI World Cup triumph earlier this year, Harmanpreet Kaur-led India enter the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in the United Kingdom (England and Wales), chasing their maiden T20 title.Only a few days before the start of the coveted tournament, the Indian national team played a warm-up match against a strong West Indies Women at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, on June 8 (Monday). Among the many names that stood out the most were Radha Yadav and Shreyankya Patil in the bowling department and Bharti Fulmali in the batting. Bharti Fulmali shines with the bat in India’s warm-up match against West Indies After a brilliant start by the openers, Smriti Mandhana and Shefali Verma, India's innings briefly lost momentum, suffering a middle-order collapse, losing three wickets in quick succession. However, Fulmali steadied the ship with a composed unbeaten 56 off 40 deliveries and stitched together a crucial 60-run partnership with Yastika Bhatia. Fulmali’s knock, featuring six fours and a six, guided India to a formidable total despite late wickets. Notably, the six smashed by Bharti was the only one in the Indian innings. An inspiring international comeback for Bharti FulmaliFulmali made her India debut against England in Guwahati back in 2019, but lost her place due to inconsistent form. The Vidharbha batter’s international comeback follows her impressive performances in the Women’s Premier League 2026. Fulmali blasted an unbeaten 36 off just 15 deliveries against the Mumbai Indians in the same season. Batting with a blistering strike rate of 240.00, her late-game heroics featured three boundaries and three sixes.Also read: Smriti Mandhana At Top, Surprise Package At 6? India's Strongest XI For Women's T20 World CupFulmali also had a promising campaign in the previous season, amassing 133 runs at a strike rate of 172.72. Safe to say, Fulmali’s international resurgence reflects the amount of hard work and dedication she has put into her game. Her striking abilities make her a special factor down the order, making her a reliable finisher along with Richa Ghosh. Nonetheless, some idiotic internet users have found a way to criticise the woman cricketer despite her remarkable form heading into the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026. The unreasonable and pointless trolling of Bharti Fulmali Despite a stellar performance on Monday, Bharti became a topic of unnecessary and immoral trolling on social media. Undeniably, Indian cricket fans are extremely passionate and vocal about the game. However, time and again, some evil forces crossed limits and targeted individuals for something that has nothing to do with their performance or form. After the end of IPL 2026, the focus shifted to the Women’s T20 World Cup. However, trolls are already doing the rounds on social media, with some really questionable comments and posts regarding Fulmali’s gender and looks. Not a first-time experience for FulmaliNotably, this isn’t the first time the 31-year-old has been targeted by online hate and trolling over her looks. In February 2026, during the WPL, Fulmali spoke about the darker side of professional sport. Speaking candidly, she highlighted how negative comments on social media have been a constant over the last three years, often taking a personal toll.Fulmali explained that while social media is unavoidable for players due to matches and practice sessions, curiosity about public opinion can make athletes vulnerable to criticism.“It feels really bad when people question you based on your looks and your personality. It’s very difficult, because I’ve been seeing this for the last three years, ever since I came into the WPL. There are a lot of comments, and most of them are negative. There’s a very dark side to it,” Fulfali said in a video on Gujarat Giants.The bottom line is that fans should not forget that cricket is about skill, tactical acumen, and contribution to the team. Thus, commenting on a player’s gender or looks is unacceptable and shameful. Also read: Not Sachin Tendulkar, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Gets New Comparison