I like pressure conditions and ICC tournaments: Deepti Sharma

Seasoned all-rounder Deepti Sharma says she relishes the pressure that comes with ICC tournaments after delivering a match-winning performance in India’s opening Women’s T20 World Cup game against arch foes Pakistan here. Having endured underwhelming series against Australia, South Africa and England, Deepti ended her lean patch in style with career-best figures of 5/10 as India began their campaign with a 64-run victory here on Sunday.

Her spell was the best by an Indian bowler in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup and was the third-best bowling figures overall in the tournament.

The performance came less than a year after Deepti’s five-wicket haul in the ODI World Cup final, which helped India clinch their maiden 50-over World Cup title.

“I like the pressure conditions and ICC tournaments; I feel I have started again from where I had finished, so it feels good. I’m focusing on my process...the same things I do in practice I am applying in matches,” Deepti said at the post-match press conference. “These things help me and the only thing is that I have to keep moving forward, and not stop and day by day have to keep improving.” The 28-year-old was a part of the Indian team that reached the ODI World Cup final here in 2017.

Deepti said, “When you look at young Deepti and now senior Deepti it feels very good. Looking back at the earlier matches and the 2017 WC, I learned a lot from that WC and I learn from every match where the errors are happening and where I can be better.”