'If We Win The World Cup...' - Deepti Sharma Motivated To Inspire The Next Generation
Deepti Sharma in T20I's (@ICC)
As India prepares to take on the world at the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup, allrounder Deepti Sharma has downplayed the pressure of winning their first senior women’s World Cup title. Instead, she stated that the Women in Blue are drawing inspiration from the triumph of Men in Blue, who clinched the ICC Men's T20 World Cup earlier this year.
"I wouldn't say pressure because the World Cup is a big event for each and every player, but personally I'm motivated with the men's World Cup they took home. We are doing a really good job throughout each and every series and every tournament and I won't say it's a pressure, but we will do our best." Deepti told ESPNcricinfo.
Deepti Sharma Significant Contribution In T20I For India
Since her debut, Deepti Sharma has become one of India’s most reliable performers, both with the bat and ball. In 117 T20I appearances, she has scored 1,020 runs at a strike rate of 104.29. However, it is her ability with the ball that truly makes her stand out. The 27-year-old has taken 131 wickets in T20Is, often proving to be a game-changer for her team.
As India looks forward to the T20 World Cup, Deepti is expected to play a crucial role. Her all-round capabilities and experience make her an indispensable part of the squad.
Deepti Sharma On The Importance Of Winning T20 World Cup
Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Deepti Sharma emphasised that winning a World Cup would further elevate the status of women’s cricket in India, potentially sparking a surge of interest among young girls aspiring to play the sport.
"How we played the finals in 2017, suddenly everything was changed. Personally it feels really good because the fans, they know I'm Deepti Sharma. It's difficult to go out in the mall or walking down some streets. It's a great feeling from the 2017 World Cup final and obviously if we win the World Cup things will really change from every perspective and each woman will want to play cricket after that, so I'm hoping for the best."said Deepti.
India will begin their preparations for the T20 World Cup with two official warm-up matches at the ICC Academy in Dubai. They will take on the West Indies on September 29 and South Africa on October 1.
The Women in Blue will kick off their World Cup campaign against New Zealand on October 4. India will also face defending champions Australia on October 13 in Sharjah.
India Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Squad
Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia (subject to fitness), Sajana Sajeevan, Dayalan Hemalatha, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil (subject to fitness), Deepti Sharma.