Deepti Sharma

Deepti Sharma is a left-hand batter and right-arm off-break bowler for India, renowned for control with the ball and busy, value-adding batting through the middle order. Born on August 24, 1997, in Agra (Uttar Pradesh), she debuted for India in ODIs in November 2014 and has since featured across all three formats. By 2024–25 she had become one of India’s most consistent all-rounders, leading ODI wickets in the 2024 calendar year and breaking into the top five of the ICC women’s ODI all-rounder rankings in March 2025.

Quick career snapshot (international): 5 Tests, 100+ ODIs, and 120+ T20Is; ODI high score 188 and a world-record 320-run opening stand with Punam Raut; a CWG 2022 silver and Asian Games 2023 gold; and WPL 2024 Most Valuable Player before captaining UP Warriorz in WPL 2025.

Early Life

Sharma grew up in Agra in a railway family and followed her elder brother, Sumit, to practice sessions at Ekalavya Sports Stadium. A much-told turning point came when, as a nine-year-old, she fired a direct-hit from ~50 metres—spotting the attention of then national selector Hemlata Kala, who encouraged the family to back her talent.

Personal Life

Deepti is the youngest among her siblings and credits her brother Sumit (a former Uttar Pradesh pacer) for early coaching and support. Media interviews also reflect her admiration for senior India players and mentors who shaped her game, while maintaining a low-profile off the field.

Domestic Career

Deepti played her first senior domestic season for Uttar Pradesh at 16, then moved to Bengal from 2017–18, where she topped batting charts and added steady off-spin returns. In the franchise/overseas circuit she has represented Western Storm (KSL), London Spirit (The Hundred), and Sydney Thunder (WBBL). At home, she became a centrepiece for UP Warriorz in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).

Highlights

  • Top-order run-getter for Bengal with notable returns in 2017–18; continued dual-skill value in subsequent seasons.
  • Signed for Western Storm (2019 KSL), London Spirit (The Hundred), and Sydney Thunder (WBBL 2021).
  • Opted out of The Hundred 2025 to manage workload after a busy 2024–25.

Test Career

Sharma made her Test debut vs England at Bristol (June 2021) and has since been used as a control bowler who can bat long when needed. Across five Tests to date, she has contributed valuable lower-middle-order runs and tidy spells; her best with the ball is a five-for (5/7) in women’s Tests for India, and she averages in the low-to-mid 60s with the bat over a small sample.

Test summary (career to date)

Format Mat Inns (Bat) Runs HS Bat Avg 100s/50s Inns (Bowl) Wkts Bowl Avg 5w
Tests 5 8 319 78 63.80 0/4 8 20 18.10 1

ODI Career

Deepti’s ODI arc features the historic 188 vs Ireland and a 320-run opening stand with Punam Raut at Potchefstroom in 2017—still the highest partnership in women’s ODIs. In 2024 she finished as the leading wicket-taker in women’s ODIs (24 wickets), underlining her growth as a banker-type off-spinner who attacks the stumps.

ODI summary (career to date)

Format Mat Inns (Bat) Runs HS Bat Avg 100s/50s Balls Bowled Wkts Econ SR (Bowl) Bowl Avg 5w
ODIs 109 93 2392 188 36.80 1/14 5416 136 4.23 39.82 28.09 3

Tournament medals & big moments:

  • 2017 Women’s World Cup finalist with India.
  • CWG 2022 silver (Birmingham) with key all-round contributions across the tournament.
  • Asian Games 2023 gold (Hangzhou), speaking about inspiring youngsters after the win.

T20I Career

In T20Is, Deepti’s versatility shines: flexible batting roles (often finishing) and power-play/middle-overs bowling with a high dot-ball percentage. She has been a top-three T20I all-rounder in ICC rankings through 2024–25 and climbed to No. 2 in T20I bowling in August 2025.

T20I summary (career to date)

Format Mat Inns (Bat) Runs HS Bat Avg 50s Balls Bowled Wkts Econ SR (Bowl) Bowl Avg
T20Is 129 81 1100 64 23.40 2 2735 147 6.12 18.61 18.99

Recent series note: In mid-2025, India thumped England in a T20I at Trent Bridge amid a strong spin showing; Deepti remained a key control option during the series.

WPL Career

Women’s Premier League (WPL):

  • UP Warriorz (2023–present) – Signed for ₹2.6 crore at the inaugural auction; WPL 2024 MVP with 295 runs (avg ~98) and 10 wickets, and the first Indian to take a WPL hat-trick (vs Delhi Capitals, Mar 8, 2024). Became UP Warriorz captain for WPL 2025 in Alyssa Healy’s absence.

Other leagues:

  • The Hundred – London Spirit, KSL – Western Storm, WBBL – Sydney Thunder. She withdrew from The Hundred 2025 to manage workload after a packed year.

WPL snapshot (2024 season):

Season Team Matches Runs Bat Avg SR 50s Wkts Bowl Avg
2024 UP Warriorz 8 295 98.33 136.57 2 10 21.7

Records and Achievements

  • Highest ODI opening stand (women’s) – 320 with Punam Raut vs Ireland (Potchefstroom, 2017); Deepti scored 188, among the highest individual ODI scores in women’s cricket.
  • Leading ODI wicket-taker in 2024 (24 wickets).
  • WPL firsts & honours – First Indian with a WPL hat-trick (2024) and WPL 2024 MVP; later UP Warriorz captain (2025).
  • Medals – CWG 2022 silver, Asian Games 2023 gold with India.
  • Rankings – Top-five ODI all-rounder (Mar 2025); Top-three T20I all-rounder and No.2 T20I bowler (Aug 2025).

Combined International Career Summary

Format Mat Runs Bat Avg HS 100s/50s Wkts Bowl Avg Econ
Tests 5 319 63.80 78 0/4 20 18.10 2.21
ODIs 109 2392 36.80 188 1/14 136 28.09 4.23
T20Is 129 1100 23.40 64 0/2 147 18.99 6.12

Style and impact

What sets Deepti apart is repeatable accuracy: she attacks the stumps, varies pace and angle, and rarely offers boundary balls. With the bat, she rotates strike, sweeps well against spin, and increasingly finishes innings—particularly evident in WPL 2024 where she paired smart tempo with clutch overs at the death. These traits make her a lock in India’s white-ball XIs and a stabilizing presence in Tests.

Recent storyline (2025)

  • Elevated to UP Warriorz captain for WPL 2025, targeting a deeper run while shouldering a higher batting slot.
  • Continued presence in ICC top tiers for both T20I all-rounders and T20I bowlers.
  • Skipped The Hundred 2025 to manage workload before India assignments.