India’s star all-rounder Deepti Sharma became the first cricketer — male or female — in the world to secure a double of 150 wickets and 1000 runs in T20Is. She achieved the feat in the third T20I against Sri Lanka at the Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram.
She already had more than 1000 runs in the format before the match. In the first innings, she went past 150 wickets, becoming the joint highest wicket-taker in women’s T20 Internationals. Her spell of 3 for 18 in the third T20I against Sri Lanka took her tally to 151 wickets, drawing her level with Australia’s Megan Schutt.
The milestone wicket came when Deepti dismissed Malsha Shehani in her final over of the day. Deepti reached the landmark in 131 matches, averaging 18.73,
while Schutt got there in 123 games at an average of 17.70.
Despite men’s T20Is starting as far back as 2007, no male cricketer has managed the record. The closest to it is Rashid Khan of Afghanistan, who is the highest wicket-taker in the format with 182 scalps in 108 matches, while also scoring 602 runs. Only three others have picked up 150 or more wickets in the format: Tim Southee (303 runs with the bat), Ish Sodhi (208 runs), and Mustafizur Rahman (112 runs).
Deepti also jumped to third place on the all-time women’s international wickets list with 333 scalps, behind only Jhulan Goswami (355) and Katherine Sciver-Brunt (335). An Agra girl who came into the team as a young but unpolished prodigy, Deepti has all but sealed her place as one of the greatest all-rounders to ever play for the country with these records; the scary thing for India’s opponents is she’s still just 28.
India win the series 3-0
Asked to bat first, Sri Lanka showed early intent through Hasini Perera, but India struck back swiftly as Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh Thakur dismantled the middle order. Renuka’s four-wicket haul and Deepti’s milestone spell ensured Sri Lanka never recovered, managing only 112/7.
Chasing, India were powered by a fearless Shafali Verma, who continued her rich form with a blazing unbeaten 79, laced with clean hitting. Although Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues fell cheaply, the result was never in doubt as Shafali finished the chase in style, handing India an emphatic series-clinching victory.
