India could not have asked for a better start to the Women's T20 World Cup. On Sunday evening, all-rounder Deepti Sharma tore through Pakistan's batting line-up with her spin and powered the team to a commanding 64-run win in its very first match of the tournament. In the process, she reached a milestone that no spinner in the world had ever touched before.
One bowler, two milestones
During this match, Deepti completed 350 international wickets, becoming the first spinner in the world to do so. On top of that, she is only the second woman cricketer ever to join the 350-wicket club in international cricket — a feat that, until now, had been linked to just one name.
Career-best day after a rough patch
What makes the effort even more striking is its timing. Deepti produced this performance at a point when her recent form had been a worry. Across the disappointing tours of Australia and South Africa, both her bat and ball had gone quiet — she neither scored runs nor picked up many wickets. Against Pakistan, however, she washed away that dry spell completely and delivered the best performance of her career.
Deepti gave away just 10 runs in her 4 overs while claiming 5 wickets. It was only the second time she has taken a five-wicket haul in a T20 International. That spell pushed her tally of international wickets up to 354.
Jhulan's record now within touching distance
Deepti now stands just 2 wickets short of rewriting history. The record for the most wickets in women's international cricket currently belongs to former India pacer Jhulan Goswami, who has 355 to her name. With 354 wickets, Deepti is right on the doorstep of that mark, and fans are confident she will claim it in her very next outing.
In the Player of the Match's words
Deepti was named Player of the Match for her superb bowling. At the post-match presentation, she admitted that going wicketless at the start of 2026 had never really bothered her. She said, “Even when I wasn't getting wickets, I wasn't worried, because I knew that when the right time came, I would definitely do well.”
Speaking about the pitch and her approach, Deepti added, “I like such pitches because you get turn here. I varied my pace. Trusting myself, I bowled in the right areas.”
