Deepti Sharma becomes the first Indian bowler to register hat-trick in WPL

UP Warriorz all-rounder Deepti Sharma has become the first-ever Indian bowler to have registered a hat-trick in the 2 seasons of the Women’s Premier League. Deepti achieved this incredible feat during her side’s 1-run win last night against the Delhi Capitals Women at the Arun Jaitley stadium. With that win, UP’s chances of reaching the play-offs are better as compared to their close rivals Gujarat Giants.

Deepti Sharma had a total all-round performance last night as she not only picked up wickets at crucial junctures but also made sure to contribute with the bat. The Warriorz was behind in the game for most of the match but it was a splendid effort by them to eventually claim the victory.

Deepti Sharma stars in UP Warriorz’s win last night

There wasn’t much that would have separated Delhi Capitals from a win last night but it was Deepti Sharma who stood in between. In the 1st innings after Alyssa Healy and Kiran Navgire got UP to an uneasy start, the all-rounder struck to the crease till the last ball.

Deepti scored 59 off 48 deliveries from the number 3 position after the fall of Navgire but the former left the crease in the 20th over with utter disappointment. She was disappointed because she couldn’t find support from any of her teammates in the middle who could have ensured UP scored 20-30 runs more.

While Healy scored 29 runs, Grace Harris was the only one from the middle order to score more than 10 runs as Tahlia McGrath, Shweta Sehrawat, Poonam Khemnar, and Sophie Ecclestone all departed for low scores. As a result of Deepti’s hard-fought fifty, the Warriorz posted 139 as the target.

It was quite an unsafe target at the Arun Jaitley stadium and it did require a heroic performance with the ball for UP to win. DC had got off to a good start through Shafali Verma and Meg Lanning before the former’s fall when DC were at 22 runs.

Number 3 batter Alice Capsey could not get going as she departed for 15. Then Jemimah Rodrigues and Lanning stitched a short partnership. However, the former Aussie international eventually became Deepti Sharma’s 1st wicket with an LBW.

Lanning’s wicket served as a chain reaction as wickets kept falling one after one. Rodrigues departed for 17 runs in the 17th over before Annabel Sutherland, Arundhati Reddy, Shikha Pandey, Radha Yadav, Jess Jonassen, and Titas Sadhu all lost their wickets in a dramatic turn.

Deepti Sharma initiated it all with her comeback spell after claiming Meg Lanning in the last ball of the 14th over. In the first two balls of her 19th over, Deepti collected wickets of Sutherland and Arundhati. With that, she became the first-ever Indian bowler to collect a hat trick in WPL history.

Deepti says she didn’t realize she completed a hat-trick

During the post-match presentation, Deepti Sharma was adjudged as man of the match for her all-round contribution. There she had said that she didn’t realize her hat-trick was completed and that she was only thinking about the win.

“No, I didn’t know. I always stay ready for a caught and bowled. Was always thinking of how we can get the game back. Want to keep the process the same, there is no limit to learning and I want to keep learning.” – Deepti Sharma said via Jio Cinema.