Following India’s historic ICC Women’s World Cup triumph, all-rounder Deepti Sharma completed one of cricket’s most inspiring redemption stories. Once remembered for being part of India’s heartbreaking collapse in the 2017 final against England, Deepti has transformed that pain into power, leading her team to ultimate glory in 2025.
Her World Cup campaign was nothing short of extraordinary. She became the first cricketer, male or female, to record a double of 200 runs and 20 wickets in a single 50-over World Cup. Across nine matches, Deepti amassed 215 runs at an average of 30.71 and a strike rate of 90.33, with three half-centuries.
With the ball, she topped the wicket charts, taking 22 wickets at an average of just over 20. In the final, she produced a match-winning all-round performance, scoring a run-a-ball 58 before dismantling South Africa’s batting order with a five-wicket haul, including the decisive dismissal of Nadine de Klerk.
Deepti’s journey has been marked by resilience and redemption. In the 2017 World Cup final, she was India’s last recognised batter dismissed in a nine-run defeat.
In 2022, her no-ball in a crucial match against South Africa cost India a semifinal berth. But in 2025, she turned past heartbreaks into motivation, delivering when it mattered most.
Speaking after the final, Deepti said the victory “feels like a dream,” dedicating her Player of the Tournament award to her parents. “It feels really nice to contribute this way in a World Cup final.
As a team, we always thought about what we could learn from every game,” she said. Reflecting on her growth since 2017, Deepti added, “There has been a lot of change. I hope there are even more matches for us now.”
