Kolkata : Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma produced a spell for the history books as India launched their Women’s Asia Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, becoming the highest wicket-taker in women’s T20Is during a dominant win over Thailand in Dubai. The veteran all-rounder needed only two overs to make a decisive impact. She finished with astonishing figures of 0/3 from 1.1 overs, helping India dismiss Thailand for 65 and secure a 94-run victory.
India posted 159 for 9 after being sent in to bat, leaving Thailand with a challenging target but enough hope to make the contest competitive. That possibility disappeared once India’s bowlers began to tighten the screws, with Deepti at the heart of the collapse as Thailand were bundled for 65 runs.
The landmark took Deepti’s career tally to 171 in women’s T20Is, moving her ahead of Thailand’s own Thipatcha Putthawong, who has 170 wickets to her name. The milestone arrived on a particularly memorable day for Deepti, who also made her 150th appearance in the shortest format.
Yet the all-rounder insisted that personal records were not at the forefront of her mind. Her focus, she explained after the match, was on improving her own game and contributing to India’s success.
“Yes, definitely. I don’t think about who is going to play next. I just always believe in myself and focus on getting better each and every day and on helping my team, especially the bowlers. That’s what I always do. As a group, it’s a great start to the tournament. There are more games to come, but it’s always about building momentum when it comes to winning the first game,” Deepti told the broadcasters after the match.
