Deepti Sharma biography
| Birth | 24 August 1997 |
| Age | 27 years |
| Nickname | Deepu |
| Height | 5 ft 5 inch |
| Profession | Cricketer |
| Batting style | Left-handed batter |
| Bowling style | Right-arm fast bowler |
| Test debut | 2021 |
| ODI debut | 2014 |
| T20I debut | 2016 |
| WPL debut | 2023 |
| Twitter/x | @officialdeeptisharma |
| @Deepti_Sharma06 | |
| Awards | Arjuna Award |
Deepti Sharma’s journey began in Agra, in Uttar Pradesh when as a nine-year-old all she wanted to do was pick up a bat and play cricket. She didn’t have a smartphone till she was 18 until she was told it was necessary for official team communication when she made her debut in the Indian cricket team. Within a year, she had done enough to go viral on the social media platforms all across as she broke records aplenty.
In an ODI against Ireland, Deepti forged a partnership of 320 runs with Punam Raut, which still is the highest in the history of women’s cricket. Deepti finished that match with 188 off 160 balls, the highest score for an Indian women cricketer. Earlier in 2016, Deepti picked six wickets in an ODI against Sri Lanka, becoming the youngest Indian cricketer – male or female – to bag a six-wicket haul. Not even 21, she had already claimed a place in the Indian team in a big way.
Deepti made her ODI debut when she was only 17 and she took to international cricket like fish to water. She was excellent with the ball and reliable with the bat and stood out in both aspects filling that allrounder’s role that Indian cricket so desperately needed.
Over the years, Deepti has gone on to become a mainstay in the women’s team. She has evolved as a player and is now the finisher of the team. She is as effective a batter as she is a bowler. In February 2023, she became the leading wicket-taker in Indian women’s cricket with 100 wickets to her name. Earlier in 2019, Deepti bowled three maidens in a T20I game between India and South Africa, becoming the first Indian women cricketer to achieve this feat.
Deepti used to play for Railways in domestic cricket but then moved to Bengal ahead of the 2017-18 season. She has also turned out in a number of games for India A. Her brother was also a cricketer but gave up the sport as the family could not afford the expenses. Deepti has also taken part in a number of leagues all over the world such as the Hundred, Kia Super League and Women’s Big Bash League. Deepti won the famous Arjuna Award in 2020.
Deepti Sharma in the WPL
Deepti fetched big money at the WPL auction and that came as no surprise considering the stature that she has in women’s cricket. She was picked up for a whopping INR 2.6 crore by the UP Warriorz. In WPL 2024, Deepti was the highest run-scorer and the second-highest wicket-taker for the franchise although they could not make it to the playoffs. She did not have the best of time in WPL 2023 with the bat but finished as the second-highest wicket-taker for UP Warriorz with the ball. Surprisingly, despite hailing from UP, Deepti was not given captaincy of the franchise with Alyssa Healy leading the team.
Deepti Sharma in international cricket
| Format | Debut | Last | |||
| Test | ENG Women vs IND Women at Bristol – June 16 – 19, 2021 | IND Women vs SA Women at Chennai – June 28 – July 01, 2024 | |||
| ODI | IND Women vs SA Women at Bengaluru – November 28, 2014 | SA Women vs IND Women at Bengaluru – June 23, 2024 | |||
| T20I | AUS Women vs IND Women at Sydney – January 31, 2016 | IND Women vs SL Women at Dambulla – July 28, 2024 | |||
| IPL | vs Gujarat Giants Women at DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai – March 5, 2023 | vs Delhi Capitals Women at Delhi – March 17, 2024 | |||
Deepti Sharma made her ODI debut as a 17-year-old against South Africa in Bangalore in 2014. She could only manage 1 batting at No. 3 but did pick two wickets even as India lost the game by four wickets. Her Test debut happened in 2021 against England in Bristol, a game that ended in a draw. Deepti had a good outing first up scoring 29* and 54 in the two innings while also picking three wickets as India hung on for a famous draw.
In all, Deepti has played 89 ODI matches and scored 2019 runs at an average of 35.42 which includes 12 fifties and a century. She has also picked 106 wickets at an average of 28.67 with best figures of 6 for 20. In Test matches, Deepti has scored 319 runs in five games averaging 63.80 with four fifties to her name. She has also picked 20 wickets with a best of 5 for 7. In the 2020 WPL, Deepti won the Most Valuable Player award for her all-round show and finishing abilities.
Deepti Sharma in T20Is and WPL
Batting
| Format | Matches | Innings | Runs | Highest Score | 100s | 50s | Average | Strike Rate |
| T20I | 117 | 75 | 1020 | 64 | 0 | 2 | 23.72 | 104.29 |
| T20 | 182 | 128 | 2107 | 88* | 0 | 5 | 29.67 | 110.83 |
| WPL | 17 | 16 | 385 | 88* | 0 | 3 | 38.50 | 118.82 |
Bowling
| Format | Matches | Innings | Wickets | BBI | Economy | Strike Rate |
| T20I | 117 | 114 | 131 | 4/10 | 5.97 | 18.7 |
| T20 | 182 | 179 | 200 | 4/10 | 6.31 | 19.1 |
| WPL | 17 | 17 | 19 | 4/19 | 8.11 | 20.4 |
Deepti made her T20I debut in 2016 against Australia in Sydney and has since become an integral part of the team due to her all-round skills. In her first game, she picked a wicket that of Beth Mooney and scored an unbeaten 13. In all, Deepti has played 117 T20I games in which she has scored 1020 runs with two fifties while averaging 23.72. She has also picked 131 wickets at an economy of less than 6. She is one of the few bowlers in world cricket with more than 100 wickets in the T20I format.
If we talk about all T20 cricket, Deepti has played 182 matches in which she has scored 2107 runs with five fifties to her name. She has also picked 200 wickets while going at an economy rate of just 6.31.
In the WPL, Deepti has been a consistent performer in both the seasons so far. She has played 17 matches in which she has scored 385 runs at an average of 38.50 which includes a highest score of 88 not out. She has also picked 19 wickets with a best performance of 4 for 19.
Apart from the WPL, Deepti has been a part of the Women’s Big Bash League in Australia and the Women’s Hundred in the UK.
Deepti Sharma in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
| Matches | Runs | Highest Score | 100s | 50s | Strike Rate | Average | Wickets | Economy |
| 15 | 169 | 49* | 0 | 0 | 96.57 | 24.14 | 15 | 6.85 |
Deepti is one of the best all-rounders going around in women’s cricket at the moment. But that hasn’t always come out in T20 World Cups. She has a middling record at best in the tournament, scoring 169 runs in 15 matches at an average of 24.14 and a strike rate of 96.57. She has taken 15 wickets though at an excellent economy of 6.85 but will need more both with bat and ball. Deepti first played her first T20 World Cup game in 2018, and then played a key role when India qualified for the final of the 2020 World Cup in Australia. Her best returns with both bat and ball came in the 2023 edition of the T20 World Cup which was held in South Africa.
Deepti Sharma in ICC Women’s World Cups from 2018 to 2023
| Year | Matches | Runs | Average | 50s/100s | Wickets | Host Country |
| 2018 | 5 | 122 | 24.40 | 0/0 | 5 | West Indies |
| 2020 | 5 | 130 | 32.50 | 0/0 | 4 | Australia |
| 2023 | 5 | 132 | 22 | 0/0 | 6 | South Africa |
Deepti played in the 2018 T20 World Cup and scored 122 runs at an average of 24.40 and also picked five wickets. In 2020, she scored 130 runs in five matches at an average of 32.50 while also picking five wickets. In the 2023 edition, Deepti had 132 runs at an average of 22 but picked six wickets.
Deepti has been in excellent form in recent times and will be one of the most important components if India are to go all the way in the T20 World Cup of 2024.
