Deepti Sharma

Deepti Sharma

Deepti Bhagwan Sharma, born on August 24, 1997, is an Indian cricketer representing Bengal, Birmingham Phoenix, and India. An all-rounder, she bats left-handed and bowls right-arm off-break. Sharma currently holds the 3rd position among all-rounders in the ICC Cricket Rankings. Additionally, she holds the distinction of being the third-highest individual scorer by a female cricketer in ODIs, amassing 188 runs.

History:

Deepti Sharma, born to Sushilaa and Bhagwan Sharma, is the youngest among her siblings. Her father, a retired chief booking supervisor with the Indian Railways, played a pivotal role in nurturing her cricketing talent. At the age of 9, Sharma developed a keen interest in cricket, often accompanying her brother Sumit Sharma, a former Uttar Pradesh pacer, to net practices and matches at the Ekalavya Sports Stadium in Agra.

During one such practice session, Sharma’s innate talent shone through when she made a direct throw from 50 meters away, hitting the stumps accurately. This impressive display caught the attention of Hemlata Kala, then a selector for India’s national women’s team, marking a turning point in Sharma’s life.

Despite facing initial setbacks in state team selections, Sharma’s all-round abilities gradually garnered recognition from selectors. Rita Dey, a former Indian batter and selector, took Sharma under her wing, mentoring her to further polish her skills.

Initially a medium pacer, Sharma transitioned to slow off-spin bowling with guidance from her local coaches and selectors. Despite initial challenges, Sharma mastered the art of spin bowling, leveraging her height to her advantage.

Her breakthrough came during her debut international match against South Africa in Bengaluru, where she delivered a standout performance, solidifying her place in the national side.

Team:

Deepti Sharma made her ODI International debut in 2014 against South Africa in Bengaluru as part of the ICC Women’s Championship. She made headlines with a world-record opening partnership of 320 runs alongside Poonam Raut, where she contributed 188 runs. This partnership surpassed both the standing women’s record of 229 and the standing men’s record of 286 in ODIs. 

Her remarkable performance continued as she played a crucial role in India’s journey to the final of the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup, where they lost to England by nine runs. During the tournament, Sharma scored 216 runs from 8 matches and picked up 12 wickets, including a best bowling figure of 3 for 59 against Australia.

Sharma’s career highlights also include her remarkable bowling figures of 6-20 in the final ODI against Sri Lanka at Ranchi. She continued to excel in domestic cricket, representing Bengal in the Senior women’s domestic seasons of 2017–18 and 2018–19, where she emerged as the top run-scorer and showcased her bowling prowess with notable performances.

Her talent and contributions to the sport earned her recognition, including being named in India’s squad for various international tournaments like the ICC Women’s World Twenty20 and the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. In addition to her international commitments, Sharma has also played for Western Storm in the Kia Super League and was drafted by London Spirit for The Hundred inaugural season.

In 2021, she made her Test debut for India against England, further expanding her international cricketing journey. She continues to be a vital asset for India, recently being named in the squad for the cricket tournament at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. Furthermore, she made headlines at the Women’s Premier League Auction in Mumbai in February 2023, being sold to UP Warriorz for Rs 2.6 crore.

Achievements and Awards:

In June 2018, Deepti Sharma received the prestigious Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for Best Domestic Senior Women’s Cricketer from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

In Women’s Test matches, Deepti Sharma holds the record for the 5th most runs in an innings by batting position, scoring 78 runs. She also achieved the remarkable feat of scoring fifties in consecutive matches, ranking 3rd with a total of four fifties. Additionally, Deepti Sharma holds the distinction of recording the outstanding bowling analyses in an innings, with figures of 5 wickets for 7 runs.

Stats:

Deepti Sharma, the Indian all-rounder, has demonstrated her prowess with both bat and ball across various formats of the game. In Test cricket, she has played four matches, amassing a total of 317 runs at an impressive average of 63.40. Although she is yet to score a century, she has registered four half-centuries, with her highest score being 78 runs. With the ball, she has taken 16 wickets, with her best bowling figures being 5/7.

In One Day Internationals (ODIs), Deepti has featured in 86 matches, scoring 1982 runs at an average of 35.39. She has notched up one century and 12 half-centuries in this format, with her highest score being an outstanding 188 runs. With the ball, she has claimed 100 wickets, with her best bowling figures being 6/20.

Similarly, in T20 Internationals, Deepti has participated in 104 matches, accumulating 1015 runs at an average of 23.60. While she is yet to register a century, she has scored two half-centuries, with her highest score being 64 runs. With the ball, she has picked up 113 wickets, with her best bowling figures being 4/10.

Deepti has also showcased her skills in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), where she has played nine matches, scoring 90 runs and taking nine wickets.

Her consistent performances in both batting and bowling make her a valuable asset to the Indian cricket team across all formats of the game.

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