Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has praised UP Warriorz’s star all-rounder Deepti Sharma, describing her recent form as ‘unstoppable’. He also believes that Delhi Capitals all-rounder Shree Charani
could win the Emerging Player of the Season award in the upcoming Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026.
The WPL 2026 season is set to begin on January 9 with a highly anticipated opener in Navi Mumbai, where defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
“The form Deepti is in currently, she has been unstoppable, and I also think that since she has started doing well in the WPL, there has been a significant improvement in her overall game. So, this could be her season again. I think Shree Charani might win the Emerging Player of the Season award. She had a fantastic World Cup, and I feel she will be the tournament’s best spinner,” Aakash Chopra said on JioStar.
Deepti has etched her name in history as the highest wicket-taker in Women’s T20 Internationals, surpassing Australia’s Megan Schutt with 151 wickets. She achieved this feat during the fifth and final T20I against Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, becoming the first Indian cricketer, male or female, to reach 150 wickets in T20Is.
Most Wickets In Women’s T20Is:
|
PLAYER NAME
|
MATCHES
|
WICKETS
|
|
DEEPTI SHARMA (IND)
|
133
|
152
|
|
MEGAN SCHUTT (AUS)
|
122
|
151
|
|
HENRIETTE ISHIMWE (RWA)
|
117
|
144
|
|
NIDA DAR (PAK)
|
160
|
144
|
|
SOPHIE ECCLESTONE (ENG)
|
101
|
142
|
Deepti now has 152 scalps in 133 matches at an average of over 18.00, including best figures of 4/10. Both Deepti and Charani were the leading wicket-takers in the recently concluded five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, with five scalps apiece as India won 5-0.
