Deepti Sharma smashes records, becomes first Indian cricketer to claim 150 T20I wickets

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], December 27 (ANI): India's star all-rounder Deepti Sharma went on a record-breaking spree during the third T20I against Sri Lanka, as she surpassed Australian legend Ellyse Perry to become the third-highest wicket-taker in all of women's international cricket.
Deepti's spell of 3/18 at Thiruvananthapuram helped her break three records, overtaking Ellyse Perry (331 scalps in 271 international matches) with 333 scalps.
In T20Is, she became the first-ever Indian across men's and women's cricket to get to the 150-wicket mark and also equalled Australia's Megan Schutt to become the leading wicket-taker in the format, with 151 scalps in 131 matches at an average of 18.73, with best figures of 4/10.
In women's ODIs, Deepti is the eighth-leading wicket-taker and India's second-best after Jhulan Goswami (255 wickets), with 162 scalps in 121 matches at an average of 27.32, with best figures of 6/20 and three four-fers and four five-fors to his name. In five Tests, she has taken 20 wickets at an average of 18.10, with a four-fer and five-for to his name.
Above her in women's international wicket-taking charts are England's Katherine Sciver Brunt (335 wickets in 275 matches) and Indian icon Jhulan (355 wickets in 291 matches).
In another record, Deepti etched her name in history books, becoming the first-ever cricketer across the men's and women's game to register 1000 runs and 150 wickets in T20 Internationals. Besides her 151 T20I wickets, she has also scored 1,100 runs in 131 matches at an average of 23.40 and a strike rate of 104.26, with two half-centuries in 81 innings.
Coming to the match, India won the toss and put Sri Lanka to bat first. Imesha Dulani (27 in 32 balls, with four boundaries), Hasini Perera (25 in 18 balls, with five fours), and Kavisha Dilhari (20 in 13 balls, with two fours and a six) put the only scores touching/crossing the 20-run mark as they posted 112/7 in 20 overs.
Pacer Renuka Singh (4/21) emerged as the pick of the bowlers for India.
In the run-chase, a ballistic Shafali Verma (79* in 42 balls, with 11 fours and three sixes) and skipper Harmanpreet (21 in 18 balls, with two fours) led India to an eight-wicket win in 13.2 overs, with Shafali getting her second successive fifty. In eight T20Is this year, she has made 333 runs in eight matches and innings at an average of 55.50, with a strike rate of over 173, with three half-centuries and a best score of 79*. (ANI)