India’s go-to player Deepti goes on top of the world

Spin’s face changes often in Indian women’s cricket. From Poonam Yadav to Vaishnavi Sharma, there have been several spinners that donned blue over the last few years.

But there has been one bright smile that has remained a constant. Deepti Sharma’s smile lit up the Greenfield Stadium on Tuesday night after getting Sri Lanka’s Nilakshika Silva lbw. That was a crucial blow; the visitors’ chase was still very much on at that stage despite the end of the big second-wicket stand between Hasini Perera and Imesha Dulani.

For the off-spinning all-rounder, it was another day in the office. Deepti is often entrusted with the task of getting India a crucial wicket or keeping the run-rate in check. She usually delivers.

The wicket of Nilakshika was special for another reason. That was her 152nd in T20Is, the one that made her the format’s leading bowler, replacing Australian seamer Megan Schutt.

Deepti is glad about her latest achievement. “It always feels good when you reach such milestones,” she said shortly after the game. “I always try to make an impact with my performance so that it will help the team.”

The world saw the kind of impact she could have only a couple of months ago. She hit 58 and then took five wickets to help India win the World Cup final against South Africa. And she still holds the record, alongside Punam Raut, for the highest opening-wicket stand in women’s ODIs – 320 against Ireland in 2017. She had struck 188 off 160 balls.

Deepti is happy that India could follow up the World Cup victory with a commanding show against Sri Lanka in the T20I series. “This 5-0 result was a complete team effort,” she said. “We had different match-winners in every game. It is nice that we have carried the momentum from the World Cup to this series though the format has changed.”