She has taken 168 wickets from 107 ODIs and 30 wickets in 17 T20Is so far. Her tally of 168 scalps is the join-highest alongside India’s Deepti Sharma in women’s T20I history.

Thipatcha found her footing through Thailand’s school cricket system, which forms the foundation of the nation’s competitive women’s national team.

With grassroots programmes and inter-school competitions nurturing young talent, the pathway helped Thipatcha develop into one of the most reliable players in the team.

“I picked up cricket through the school development programme. That was where our teachers introduced the sport and I liked it. I watched a few games and was impressed by the way Sophie Ecclestone bowled and played, which inspired me to become a bowler myself and take up the game,” Thipatcha said while speaking to News18 CricketNext.

“One of the biggest perks of being part of the team has been the chance to travel and play around the world,” she adds.

Thipatcha holds the record for the most wickets in women’s T20Is in a calendar year, having claimed 56 wickets in 2025. She has continued her brilliant form in 2026 too, already picking up 37 wickets in 21 games.

So what makes Thipatcha so prolific?

“I didn’t know a lot about the record, but I am proud to have that one, picking the most wickets in a calendar year. It is down to the work I have put in during practice,” Thipatcha said. “I have worked hard in my sessions, watched games, picked things up from them and learned from match to match. I have also stuck to the basics of the approach instilled by the coaching staff.”

Besides facing fellow Associate team Hong Kong, Thailand will also take on powerhouses India and Pakistan in the group stage of the 2026 Asia Cup that starts from August 28.

If they advance to the next round, they could face Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

How big is the opportunity of playing the Asia Cup for teams like Thailand?

“I think this is a great moment. Getting the chance to play against Full Members does not happen very often for Associate Members, so this is a big moment not just for me but for the entire team,” Thipatcha said.

“We will look to do our best, cause a few upsets and finish among the top teams. That will also help develop and, more importantly, expand the growth of cricket in Thailand,” she added.

Thailand will face title-favourites India in Dubai on Sunday (August 30). It will be Thipatcha’s third meeting with Harmanpreet Kaur’s team, having faced them twice in 2022.

On one of those occasions, Thipatcha dismissed Jemimah Rodrigues.

What was it like to claim the wicket of a cricketer of the Rodrigues’ stature?

“I was really excited and happy to get the wicket of Jemimah because she is a world-class cricketer. But I think playing against her and the Indian team was also a great experience for us,” Thipatcha said.

“We are looking forward to facing India again and gaining more valuable experience,” she added.

Although Jemimah will miss the Asia Cup because of injury, the Thai spinner has another Indian batter in her sights. It’s neither Smriti Mandhana nor Shafali Verma, but Richa Ghosh, whose wicket she would love to claim.

“I would like to get Richa’s wicket because she is a very aggressive player. Dismissing her would be a challenge, but I am really looking forward to it. If I can get her wicket, it would be a great achievement for me,” Thipatcha said.

Still in her early 20s, Thipatcha has already become an inspiration for young girls in Thailand who dream of pursuing cricket.

And she has a message for aspiring cricketers back home.

“If someone asked me why they should play cricket, I would say that I did not know much about the sport when I started. I found it fun, so I gave it a try and then I realised that I was good at it,” Thipatcha said.

“For me, cricket is more than just a sport. It teaches you many things, including discipline, team spirit and confidence,” Thipatcha, who is studying sports science, added.

Over the past seven years of her career, Thipatcha says women’s cricket in Thailand has evolved quite significantly.

“I think Thai cricket has changed a lot. In the past, cricket was played in only a few provinces, but now it has spread across Thailand, with four or five more provinces taking up the sport,” Thipatcha said.

“I hope Thai cricket continues to grow in the future, like it has in India and some European nations, with more stadiums and more people playing the game. Thai cricket is now well known around the world, and I hope that growth continues,” she concluded.