Deepti Sharma Achieves Record as First Indian to Take 100 T20I Wickets
India women’s national cricket team has been making plenty of headlines lately. Now, the team made history in the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Deepti Sharma became the first Indian across the men’s and women’s games to take 100 T20I wickets in the group match against West Indies on Wednesday.
The record holder for the most wickets by a male player in the T20I format is India’s Yuzvendra Chahal, with a tally of 91 wickets.
Deepti Sharma’s Achievements in the Match
🚨Milestone Alert 🚨
A special TON for @Deepti_Sharma06 as she becomes #TeamIndia‘s leading wicket-taker in T20Is (in women’s cricket) 👏 👏
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/rm4GUZIzSX #T20WorldCup | #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/7GDz93fgEH
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) February 15, 2023
Deepti reached the 100-wicket milestone in the last over of the West Indies innings when she dismissed Aly Fletcher (0). In addition to Fletcher, Deepti scalped Stafanie Taylor (42) and Shemaine Campbelle (30).
Currently, the off-spinner is at the 9th spot on the list of women’s cricketers with the most wickets in T20Is.
When interviewed about her success, Deepti said, “I feel good. What we discussed in the meeting and the plans I had against the West Indies batters, we were able to apply in the middle. That is a milestone, and I am happy with the achievement (first Indian to 100 T20I wickets). I am focusing on the rest of the World Cup games. There is a bit of turn in this surface, and I focus on bowling stump to stump.”
Because of her performance, Deepti was named the Player of the Match.
Deepti Sharma’s History
Sharma made her international debut in 2014 at the age of just 17 and became known for her accuracy in bowling and her ability to pick up crucial wickets.
The off-spinner has appeared in 89 T20I appearances for her country before achieving this record. Currently, she is sixth in the top all-rounders in the ICC Cricket Rankings.
Before she made her record in this year’s World Cup, she had become the third-highest individual scorer by a woman cricketer in ODIs with 188 runs in 2017. She achieved the score in a one-day match against Ireland.
For this year, other than playing in the 2023 World Cup, Sharma will play for UP Warriorz in the WPL (Women’s Premiere League) 2023. She was roped in by UP Warriorz for ₹2.6 crores at the WPL auction.
Other Achievements in the Match Against the West Indies
In addition to Deepti, there were plenty of formidable players on the team. Poonam
Yadav followed after Deepti for the highest amount of wickets in the match,
with 98 wickets in her tally.
Richa Ghosh (44) and Harmanpreet Kaur (33) shone as the best batters in the match.
They top-scored for the Women In Blue and assisted toward the West Indies’
6-wicket defeat.
Following this match, India is 2nd in their group standings with a net run rate of +0.590 and four points. Their next clash will be against England on February 18.
India’s Latest Achievement
Before Sharma made her record, another player on the team had recently made the headlines. That person is the cricket team opener, Smriti Mandhana. In the latest auction for the 2023 WPL, Mandhana was acquired by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for Rs 3.4, the highest bid in the event.