From opening the batting, anchoring in the middle order, or accelerating lower down the order for a strong finish, to taking on roles from opening the bowling to delivering crucial middle overs or containing runs in the death overs, she excels in every aspect of the game while consistently taking sharp catches and being quick in the outfield. This young all-rounder, Deepti Sharma, stands out as perhaps the only player in the India squad and across the current international roster who can masterfully perform every role on the field at any given day or time.
During a net practice session at the Ekalavya Sports Stadium in Agra, India’s national women’s team selector Hemlata Kala noticed something extraordinary: a direct hit on the stumps from 50 meters away by a young girl. That girl was Deepti, who had developed a passion for cricket at just 9 years old. Every day, she would ask her father to request her brother, Sumit Sharma, a former Uttar Pradesh pacer who initially coached her, to take her to the ground to be involved in net practices and matches. This chance encounter with Kala became the turning point in her life.
Deepti initially bowled medium pace and, on the advice of coaches, transitioned to off-spin. By the time Deepti was 15, despite her growing experience, she was often overlooked for state team selection. However, her all-round talents eventually caught the attention of a few key selectors, including former Indian batter and selector Rita Dey, who took her under her wing as a mentor. When she made the cut, her performances at the state level and in A-side matches were consistently impressive, earning her a national call-up.
On her international debut (ODI) during South Africa’s tour of India, Deepti was run out for just 1, but she made an immediate impact with the ball, returning figures of 2/35 from her 10 overs. Nine years and a few months since that debut, she has scalped 106 wickets in 89 matches, with a best of 6/20 and an economy rate of 4.14. With the bat, she has accumulated 2,019 runs from 78 innings at an average of 35.42, with a career-high score of 188.
Sharma’s ODI best of 6/20 came in just her 7th game, against Sri Lanka in 2016, marking a strong and consistent start with the ball. While she initially managed a few solid starts with the bat, her maiden fifty came against Sri Lanka in the 2017 World Cup qualifier, followed by another fifty in the next game where she scored 89 runs against Ireland. Later that year, she opened the batting against Ireland and smashed her maiden century, a magnificent 188, setting a new record for the most partnership runs in the process.
In early 2016, she made her Twenty20 International (T20I) debut against Australia, where she again made an instant impact with economical figures of 1/19 from her 4 overs, including the prized wicket of Beth Mooney, and remained unbeaten on 13*. To date, she has played 114 T20Is, taking 131 wickets with a best of 4/10 and maintaining an economy rate of 5.97, making her the 3rd highest wicket-taker in Women’s T20Is. With the bat, she has accumulated 1,020 runs from 75 innings at a strike rate of 104.29. In the shortest format, while she hasn’t had many opportunities to bat, often remaining unbeaten, she has consistently delivered impactful cameos. Her maiden fifty came in the 2022 Asia Cup, while her first 4-wicket haul came in 2019, and she has claimed nine 3-wicket hauls throughout her T20I career.
Deepti’s success also extends to the red-ball format, where her performance has been further impressive. On her Test debut against England in 2022, she scored her maiden fifty and took 3 wickets. In her next three Test matches, she scored three fifties. Notably, in the home Test against England late last year, she delivered her best bowling performance with figures of 5/7 and added a 4-wicket haul in the second innings, finishing with a total of 9 wickets in that match.
Her success in international cricket, coupled with her domestic achievements for Uttar Pradesh and Bengal, and recognition as the Best Domestic Senior Women’s Cricketer by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2018, paved the way for her first overseas opportunity in 2019, when she was signed by the Western Storm for the Kia Super League. In 2021, she was drafted by the London Spirit for the inaugural season of The Hundred and also featured for the Sydney Thunder in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) that year.
In the WBBL, she took 13 wickets in as many matches, maintaining an economy rate of 7.15, and scored 211 runs from 11 innings at an average of 35.16. Despite this all-round success, she has yet to make a second appearance in the league. In The Hundred, she has claimed 18 wickets from 16 outings, with an economy rate of 6.05, and accumulated 289 runs from 12 innings at a strike rate of 126.75. Returning to The Hundred after a two-year absence, she played a crucial role in her team’s championship win, hitting a maximum to guide the Spirit to their maiden title in what was overall a consistent season with both bat and ball.
In India’s premier T20 competition, the Women’s Premier League (WPL), Deepti was roped in by UP Warriorz for Rs 2.6 crore, making her one of the costliest picks. Across 17 matches, she has taken 19 wickets with an economy rate of 8.11. With the bat, she has amassed 385 runs from 16 innings at a strike rate of 118.82, with top scores of 88* and 4/19. Deepti made history in the WPL, becoming the first Indian to take a hat-trick. For her outstanding performance throughout the 2024 season, she was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Gold at the Asian Games and Silver at the Commonwealth Games, along with individual accolades as the 2nd highest wicket-taker for India in international cricket and the only Indian woman to achieve the double of 3,000 runs and 200 wickets, among others, further enhance Deepti’s impressive list of achievements in her young career.
Join us in wishing Deepti Sharma a very Happy 27th birthday 🥳 🎉
• 2nd Most Wickets for India in international cricket
• 3rd Most Wickets overall in Women’s T20Is#CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/16MXQdAe3v— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) August 24, 2024
Here’s wishing #TeamIndia all-rounder Deepti Sharma a very happy birthday 👏🎂@Deepti_Sharma06 pic.twitter.com/at0DHswqyC
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) August 24, 2024
