Deepti Sharma: The unsung hero of Indian women's cricket

Bengaluru: A spell of 5 for 39 in 9.3 overs and 58 runs off 58 balls with the bat in a World Cup final. A tally of 22 wickets and 215 runs in the tournament. The first cricketer to score a fifty and pick five wickets in a World Cup knockout game. The first to score 200+ runs and take 20+ wickets in a single World Cup. And only the second player to take a five-wicket haul in a Women’s World Cup final. 

While these are extraordinary numbers, this is a story of someone who often does not make the headlines. But without this story, India may not have become what they are today: World Cup winners. 

Behind every title triumph is an invisible yet fully present force that makes it all come together. In the Women's ODI World Cup, that force goes by the name Deepti Sharma – quiet, unsung and uncelebrated - but calm, composed and now an influential figure, who put together an important piece in the proverbial puzzle of India's successful campaign. 

Deepti’s all-round abilities make her an integral part of the Indian setup and that leaped into the limelight on India’s big day as well as throughout the tournament. 

Deepti has been a part of a few rescue acts this World Cup. And it started in the very first game when India were tottering at 121 for five against Sri Lanka. The 28-year-old held the fort with a run-a-ball 53 to guide India to a competitive 269. She also put in an act with the ball, picking 3/54, which eventually translated into a win. 

She copped criticism for not taking India over the line against England -- the hosts were in the race till the 97th over of the game, thanks to Deepti's impressive 4/51 that put the brakes on England’s scoring rate and a fighting 50 with the bat that kept them in chase. 

In the semifinal against Australia, while Jemimah Rodrigues was steering the ship, India at one point needed someone to take a few risks, and guess who? Deepti scored a 17-ball 24 to inject some momentum into the chase. 

And on the big day, Deepti (58) held the innings together and let her experience kick in to help India recover after a wobble. Later on, Deepti triggered a collapse, dismissing Annerie Dercksen and then struck twice in the same over, picking a well-set Laura Wolvaardt and Chloe Tryon, which turned decisive. 

“Honestly, this is feeling like a dream because we have not been able to come out of that emotion. Feeling really nice I could contribute this way in a World Cup final. I always enjoy, whichever department I am in, or whichever situation is. I just wanted to dedicate this (POTS) trophy to my mom and dad,” Deepti said after the match. 

Few would have picked Deepti for the Player of the Tournament award before October 30, and it was only fitting that she won it 10 years after she was named the best woman cricketer for 2015-16. 

While Deepti would have struggled to sleep after she failed to defend six runs in the last over against South Africa with a World Cup semifinal spot on the line in Christchurch in 2022, she would probably have had a relatively good one after crushing her own demons in Navi Mumbai.