By- Paramita Datta
Pune: Deepti Sharma, India’s leading spinner shined her name in the T20I record book by claiming three important wickets, one which got Malsha Shehani out in her final over during the third match against Sri Lanka. She became the third highest wicket taker after Ellyse Perry from Australia in women’s international cricket and first Indian across both men and women to cross the 150 meter mark in wicket. And to mention 1000 runs in T20Is.
She claimed 151 wickets in 131 matches and reached an average of 18.73 and best figure remains 4 for 10. Though before the match she had already more that 1000 runs but during the innings she crossed the 150 wickets and became the joint highest wicket taker in the internationals. In the third T20 against Sri Lanka her third figures was 3 for 18 which increased her total to 15 wickets , further putting her level with Australia’s Megan Schutt.
India made two changes to the lineup, with Renuka Singh Thakur and Deepti replacing the rested Sneh Rana and Arundhati Reddy.
The milestones achieved by Deepti highlights her consistency and impact in the strong performance and this achievement further strengthens her position as the leading bowler in women’s cricket.
Her ODI records include one of the best performances, claiming a proper score of 6 for 20 and with that three four- wicket hauls and four five-fors, also she has scored 20 wickets during test cricket with average of 18.10 in it.
It has been noted that the men’s T20 international which began in 2007 with no male players has been able to achieve such a high record. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan was the nearest male player who has taken 182 wickets in 180 matches and also scored 602 runs. Overall, only three other players have taken 150 or more than it other than Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, and Mustafizur Rahman.