Manchester [UK], June 24 (ANI): India all-rounder Deepti Sharma stands on the brink of history as she prepares to take the field against Bangladesh in India’s fourth Group A match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Thursday.
The 28-year-old off-spinner is currently tied with former India pace legend Jhulan Goswami as the leading wicket-taker in women’s international cricket, with both players having claimed 355 wickets each. A wicket against Bangladesh will see Deepti move to the top of the all-time list and further cement her status as one of the game’s premier all-rounders.
Deepti has enjoyed an impressive World Cup campaign so far. She began the tournament by registering a five-wicket haul against arch-rivals Pakistan, playing a decisive role in India’s victory. She followed that up with figures of 1/26 in three overs against the Netherlands in Leeds, a performance that helped her draw level with Jhulan’s long-standing record.
The off-spinner, however, went wicketless in India’s previous outing against South Africa, where the Proteas secured a six-wicket win. Despite that setback, Deepti remains one of India’s most potent bowling weapons and is expected to play a crucial role against Bangladesh as the team looks to strengthen its chances of reaching the semi-finals.
Among Indian bowlers, Deepti is already the country’s highest wicket-taker in T20 Internationals and the leading wicket-taker in the format globally, with 167 wickets from 147 matches. She has also picked up 166 wickets in 124 One-Day Internationals, second only to Jhulan Goswami’s 255 ODI wickets for India.
In Test cricket, Deepti has claimed 22 wickets in just six matches, while Jhulan finished her illustrious international career with 44 Test wickets, 255 ODI wickets and 56 T20I scalps before retiring in 2022.
Behind Deepti and Jhulan on the all-time women’s international wicket-taking charts are England’s Katherine Sciver-Brunt (335), Australia’s Ellyse Perry (332), England spinner Sophie Ecclestone (327) and South Africa fast bowler Shabnim Ismail (318).
With a historic milestone within touching distance, all eyes will be on Deepti when India take on Bangladesh in a crucial World Cup encounter Thursday. (ANI)
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