Why Deepti Sharma’s resilience is exactly what India women need

Deepti Sharma: Rewriting history of women’s cricket

One of her most memorable performances came during India’s opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, where she dismantled arch-rivals Pakistan with a masterclass in off spin. Finely tuning her variations on a helpful surface, Deepti spun a web that left the Pakistani batting lineup completely stunned. She returned with an astonishing career-best figures of 5/10 in her four overs, rewriting the history books as the best bowling spell by an Indian woman in T20 World Cup history. This magnificent five-wicket haul didn’t just secure a dominant 64-run victory for India; it also made her the highest wicket-taker in Women’s T20 Internationals with 166 wickets from 145 T20I matches.

While her bowling genius remains indisputable, Deepti’s batting credentials also helped her to reach a historic milestone in 2017. When playing against Ireland in Potchefstroom, she smashed a colossal 188 off just 160 balls. This spectacular knock stands as her highest individual score in One Day Internationals. Back then, it was also the second-highest individual score in women’s ODI history- currently in fourth place. During this masterclass, she also forged a breathtaking, world-record 320-run opening partnership with Punam Raut, marking the first-ever 300-run stand in the women’s 50-over format.

Unmatched legacy of Deepti Sharma

Even in the ODI World Cup last year, she showed her effectiveness with a ‘Player of the Tournament’ performance when she picked up 22 wickets along with scoring 215 valuable runs, including a run-a-ball 58 in the final. This was a kind of redemption for Deepti Sharma, whose performance in the previous two years lacked consistency, and her role in the team was questioned, as had happened earlier.

It was not always a smooth ride in a career spanning over a decade, as Deepti’s journey has faced intense scrutiny. Later in that same breakout year of 2017, India reached the final of the Women’s ODI World Cup against England. Chasing a modest target at Lord’s, India suffered a catastrophic batting collapse. Deepti fought as a lower-order batter but faced heavy criticism for her slow scoring rate, managing a painful 14 runs off 22 balls before getting dismissed with a handful of runs to score. It was a heartbreaking moment that highlighted the immense weight of expectation she and the team started to carry as they gradually became one of the strongest outfits in women’s cricket.

The grit, composure, and redemption

That scrutiny intensified during a 2022 ODI at Lord’s against England. With England’s final pair close to pulling off a win, Deepti spotted non-striker Charlie Dean’s tendency to leave the crease early before the ball was released. She stopped in her delivery stride and ran Dean out at the non-striker’s end, an act often called “Mankading.” The dismissal sparked a sharp debate about the “spirit of cricket,” but Deepti stood firm. As the MCC laws made clear, the run-out was fully legal and underscored her competitiveness and refusal to give away any advantage.

Taken together, these achievements and defining moments reflect Deepti Sharma’s development into one of the most dependable and accomplished all-rounders in contemporary women’s cricket. She has again proved her mettle and, along with Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana, has become the core of the Indian team. Driven by unmatched consistency and grit, Deepti’s ongoing brilliance is exactly what India women once again need for a memorable T20 World Cup campaign.

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