New Delhi: India’s premier all-rounder Deepti Sharma A sensational five-wicket haul etched her name into the record books as India beat arch-rivals Pakistan by 64 runs in their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup opener at Edgbaston on Sunday.The 28-year-old off-spinner returned career-best figures of 5/10 in four overs – the best bowling figures by an Indian woman in T20 World Cup history – and became the highest wicket-taker in women’s T20 Internationals. Deepti now has 166 wickets in 145 T20Is, surpassing Thailand spinner Thipcha Puthavong, who held the previous record with 165 wickets. Deepti’s five-wicket haul also made her only the third Indian bowler to take five wickets in the Women’s T20 World Cup, after Priyanka Roy (5/16 against Pakistan in 2009) and Renuka Singh Thakur (5/15 against England in 2023).
Most wickets in Women’s T20Is
- 166 – Deepti Sharma (IND)*
- 165 – Thipatcha Putthawong (THA)
- 160 – Henriette Ashmoy (RWA)
- 152 – Megan Schutt (AUS)
- 148 – A Kamchumpho (THA)
Deepti’s spin web left Pakistan helpless.
Chasing 171, Pakistan had no answer to India’s disciplined spin attack. Besides Muniba AliBattling for 41 off 35 balls, the batting line-up struggled to cope with the turn and variable pace on offer.Deepti was virtually unplayable at a level that quickly helped the slower bowlers. He varied his pace brilliantly and attacked the stumps, decimating Pakistan’s middle and lower order with impressive figures of 5/10.“I like these kind of wickets. Because it’s turning, I varied my pace every ball and every over, and that helped me a lot,” Deepti said after receiving the Player of the Match award.“I just believed in myself and kept bowling in the right fields. I never got upset when I wasn’t getting wickets. I always believed that when the time was right, I would step up for the team,” she added.Left-arm spinner Shri Charani complemented Deepti with figures of 3/21, while Shafali Verma picked up a wicket.Five wickets for IND-W in T20 WCs
- 5/10 – Deepti Shamra vs PAK, Birmingham, 2026*
- 5/15 – Renuka Thakur vs ENG, Gqeberha, 2023
- 5/16 – Priyanka Roy vs. PAK, Taunton, 2009
Mandhana, Richa powered India to a total win.
before that, Smriti MandhanaK’s brilliant 68 off 44 balls set the platform for India as they slumped to 18/2. The vice-captain added 91 runs along with the captain Harman Preet Kaur (36) to steady the innings before Richa Ghosh made a late flourish of 34 off just 17 balls.The wicketkeeper-batsman’s onslaught in the last over scored 23 runs and helped India challenge for 170/6.Deepti also praised the contribution of the batsmen, saying: “I would like to especially mention the contribution of Smriti and Harry Dee. We got the momentum from there.”India finally started their campaign in a strong way by bowling out Pakistan for 106 runs in 17 overs.
