Edgbaston: Deepti Sharma produced a historic performance, claiming a sensational five-wicket haul to power India to a dominant 64-run win over Pakistan in their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup opener.
Record-breaking spell seals big win
The off-spin all-rounder returned career-best figures of 5/10 in her four overs, weaving a spin web that triggered a dramatic Pakistan collapse from 75/3 to 106 all out in 17 overs.
With this performance, Deepti reached 166 wickets in Women’s T20 Internationals, becoming the highest wicket-taker in the format. She also crossed 350 international wickets, joining Jhulan Goswami as only the second Indian woman to achieve the milestone.
Her spell not only turned the game decisively but also etched her name in the record books.
Comeback after lean patch
Deepti’s heroics came after a challenging phase earlier in 2026, where she struggled during tours of Australia and South Africa.
However, she remained confident about her abilities.
“I wasn’t worried when I didn’t get wickets because I knew when the right time would come, I would step up,” she said after the match.
Her performance once again underlined her reputation as a big-match player, especially in ICC tournaments.
India build strong total with bat
Earlier, India posted a competitive 170/6, thanks to a fluent 68 from Smriti Mandhana and a quickfire 34 from Richa Ghosh.
A crucial 91-run partnership between Mandhana and captain Harmanpreet Kaur laid the foundation for the total, helping India recover from early pressure and take control of the innings.
Captains react to the result
Harmanpreet praised both Mandhana and Deepti for stepping up on a big occasion.
“Whenever we need them, they are always there to push the team,” she said, adding that the pitch was good for batting once settled.
On the other hand, Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana admitted her team fell short, particularly with the bat.
“The batting was very disappointing. We need to step up as we have a long way to go,” she said, while also pointing out lapses in the bowling towards the end.
Conclusion
Deepti Sharma’s extraordinary five-for not only secured a convincing win for India but also highlighted her importance to the team in high-pressure tournaments. With both bat and ball firing, India have made a powerful statement at the start of their campaign, while Deepti’s record-breaking performance will be remembered as one of the standout moments of the tournament.