That is why, despite the lack of wickets leading into their T20 World Cup opener, India turned to Deepti again on Sunday. After Mandhana (68) and Richa Ghosh (34) took India to 170/6 against Pakistan at Edgbaston, the veteran off-spinner was entrusted to do the work with the ball. And she, like the managers, knows how big a role the spinners would play in this World Cup considering the doubles and surfaces used.
Granted, it didn’t take long for her to make an impact. The match started with Gull Feroza’s wicket in the fifth over. She then dismissed counter-attacker Ayesha Zafar soon after. Soon NR Sree Charani and Shafali Verma joined the party, all but killing the race. The final blow, however, came from Deepti, who took the last three wickets in a single to give India a massive 64-run win. And in the process, she recorded her career-best bowling figures (5/10).
Usually someone who doesn’t let it go easily at press conferences, Deepti was at her post-match best on Sunday. An astute reader of the game, she said the pitch had an offering of turn and it was crucial for her to change pace every time and keep hitting the good areas. “I saw in the first innings it was slow and it was turning a little bit. Even in the second innings, there was more spin. So I wanted to make sure I put all six balls in the same areas. I was just targeting my good balls and how to hit the good areas,” the outfielder explained in the post-match press conference.
