A wave of disbelief, pride, and unadulterated joy washed over Deepti Sharma. The phenomenal all-rounder, whose historic performance secured India’s inaugural Women’s World Cup title, was rightly crowned the Player of the Tournament. Reflecting on the incredible feat, Deepti shared, “Honestly, we still can’t quite grasp this outcome. It feels like a dream come true. I’m incredibly happy that I could contribute significantly today. We always strive to extract positives from every game. A massive thank you also goes to our fans, who turned out in massive numbers, supporting us relentlessly throughout every match. Without them, this wouldn’t have been possible. As a team, we’re overwhelmed with happiness after this result,” she added, her voice tinged with emotion.
Her display throughout the tournament was nothing short of extraordinary. Deepti carved her name into cricketing history by becoming the first player—male or female—to achieve the remarkable double of 200 runs and 20 wickets in a single World Cup edition. Across nine matches, she amassed 215 runs at an impressive average of 30.71 and a striking rate of 90.71, including three crucial half-centuries. With the ball, she dominated, emerging as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with 22 scalps at an average of 24.11, highlighted by a stellar 5/39 in the final match.
In the tense final against South Africa, Deepti’s composed knock of 58 was instrumental in stabilizing India’s innings before she tore through the Proteas’ batting line-up with a decisive bowling spell. She became the first Indian woman to achieve a five-wicket haul in a World Cup final, and now holds the record for the most wickets by an Indian in a single World Cup, surpassing the previous bests held by Shubhangi Kulkarni and Neetu David (both 20 wickets).
When questioned about her ability to perform under pressure, Deepti responded, “I always embrace every role I’m given, regardless of the situation, because I thrive on challenges. Today, I had the responsibility with both bat and ball, and I focused on playing according to the match’s demands. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. What could be a better occasion than this to deliver an all-round performance for your country? It’s truly an indescribable feeling.”
Acknowledging the valiant effort from the opposition, Deepti praised Laura Wolvaardt’s fighting century, stating, “Laura played an exceptional innings, truly. However, we maintained our composure. We constantly encouraged each other during breaks. As a bowling unit, our commitment was to fight until the very last ball and concentrate on executing our best deliveries. And that’s exactly what we did.”
With a career tally of 36 wickets, Deepti now stands as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Women’s World Cup history, trailing only the legendary Jhulan Goswami (43 wickets). Her meteoric rise has cemented her place among India’s all-time cricketing greats.
With a soft smile, clutching her medal, she concluded, “So much has changed since 2017. Playing more matches will only help us grow further. And finally, I want to dedicate this incredible trophy to my mom and dad.” For Deepti Sharma, that unforgettable night in Navi Mumbai symbolized far more than just a triumph. It was the culmination of relentless hard work, quiet determination, and an unwavering belief that India’s moment to shine on the global stage would arrive—and she would be the central figure in that glorious chapter.