3 min readUpdated: Apr 26, 2026 07:46 PM IST
The Player of the Match in the 50-over World Cup final is finally finding her groove in T20s as Deepti Sharma gave India their first win in the fice match series against South Africa. India’s 14 run win after defending a score of 185 finally arrived after three losses, as the off spinner worked her magic claiming 5-19 to restrict Saffers to 171 for 9.
Deepti had earlier combined with Richa Ghosh for a 65-run partnership as the other totem of India’s success Jemimah Rodrigues top scored with 43, sharing a 55 run stand with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.
Deepti later told BCCI website that she was eventually rediscovering her form focusing on classical flighty offspin rather than faster ones. “First I kept belief in myself. And then there is line and length. Which line I have to bowl. And basically today more of my focus was on my offspin ball than the little faster one. That gave me confidence to bowl better and better,” she said.
Deepti Sharma’s FIVE of the very best 🖐️
Jemimah Rodrigues’ momentum-changing knock 🔥Together, they’re learning, evolving, focusing on the 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 👏🔝
🎥 Hear from the duo that helped deliver #TeamIndia‘s win in Johannesburg 🙌 – By @jigsactin #SAvIND |… pic.twitter.com/P3653EjjNE
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) April 26, 2026
India had scored 185-5 hingeing on two partnerships as Deepti contributed 36 off 26, batting with Richa Ghosh, who remained unbeaten on 34. Struggling to crack the code, the team had begun setting targets over by over breaking down the batting inning, instead of looking at an eventual high target.
“I think Richa batted well, she finished well and we were talking about batting till 20th over and to have a good partnership and then we finished well. We calculated each and every over and then that’s how we played,” Deepti told BCCI website.
But four games had seen the Indians unable to defend their score. So the bowling was crucial. It was here that Deepti played a lions part, but only after Kranti Gaud had cut short Laura Woolvaardt’s run of five 50s in a row, before she limped off with an ankle issue. The rest of the batters were trapped by Deepti into submission.
“There was little dew here so we were just having a conversation among bowlers to bowl in right areas and that would give you results,” Deepti told bcci website. Her first wicket was Sune Luus who charged her and was bowled by one that stayed low. She also had Dercksen rushed into a shot with a short delivery for her second bowled.
She returned in the 15th over after 2-7 in her first too to get Reyneke holing out at deep square leg. Aya Bongaigaon Khaka was trapped plumb while Sekhukhune was stumped after the Indian flighted one just as she had planned.
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“Lot of positives. Especially today’s win give us lot of confidence. Whenever we play we play as a team – a Bowlin unit or batting unit. Same belief we have to keep when we play next,” Deepti told bcci website.
