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New Delhi: On Saturday, Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma became the first Indian to pick up a five-wicket haul against Australia in Women’s ODIs. Deepti, who has been a stand-out all-rounder for India, is leaving no stone unturned in making this series a memorable one for her. The 26-year-old off-spinner achieved the feat in the second ODI at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
She recently scored a match-turning 78 in India’s historic Test win over the Aussies. Deepti has become the first player from Asia to register a five-wicket haul against Australia in ODIs. Deepti finished with impressive figures of 10-0-38-5. She also broke Nooshin Al Khadeer’s record of best figures by an Indian bowler in Women’s ODIs against Australia.
She took a brilliant fifer in the India vs Australia 2nd ODI at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai when she ended with the figures of 5/38. Back in 2006, Al Khadeer had figures of 10-0-41-4 at St Peters College in Adelaide. Overall, she becomes just the sixth player in the world to take a fifer against Australian women in the 50-over format.
Before Deepti, India’s Sandra Braganza had the best figures against the Aussies. Overall, she became the eighth Indian after Murali Kartik, Ajit Agarkar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Shastri, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev and Mohammed Shami to get a fifer in ODIs against Australia (both men’s and women’s cricket).
Deepti picked up the massive wicket of Ellyse Perry to open her account. Perry was batting on 50 when she played a false shot off the bowler. Deepti trapped Alana King LBW on the next ball but the decision was overturned on review as it was missing the leg stump on hitting. However, she got her fifer on the fifth delivery when she caught and bowled Annabel Sutherland.
Thereafter, Deepti trapped Beth Mooney in front after the latter used the DRS unsuccessfully. In the 40th over, she got the prized wicket of Tahlia McGrath, who was starting to tee off in the death overs. The last over of Deepti’s spell turned out to be an eventful one. In the first ball of the over, Deepti dismissed Georgia Wareham, who holed out to Smriti Mandhana at deep mid-wicket.
On the very next ball, she was robbed off a wicket after Alana King used the DRS to good effect to get an on-field decision overturned. However, Deepti got the fifer after she dismissed Annabel Sutherland on the penultimate ball of the over.
She tossed one up and Sutherland hit the ball straight back at the bowler. Deepti, in the meantime, is one wicket short of becoming the fourth Indian woman after Jhulan Goswami, Neetu David and Nooshin Al Khadeer to accomplish the landmark of 100 wickets in ODIs. The Women in Blue were not good on the field in the first ODI too, in which they lost by 8 wickets.
