9-Year Wait Over! Deepti Sharma Smashes Century to Seal Series
Deepti Sharma scored an unbeaten 106 against Zimbabwe, ending a 3,450-day wait for her second ODI century to lead India to victory.
In a moment of pure sporting redemption, Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma has finally ended a grueling nine-year drought to score her second ODI century. During the ICC Women’s Championship clash against Zimbabwe in Vadodara, Sharma delivered a masterclass in batting, smashing an unbeaten 106 to ensure India secured a dominant 121-run victory at the Kotambi Stadium and clinched the series.
A Milestone 3,450 Days in the Making
For Deepti Sharma, this wasn't just another hundred; it was the end of a marathon wait. Her previous century in the 50-over format was a staggering 188 against Ireland back in May 2017. The gap between these two milestones spanned nine years and five months—exactly 3,450 days of persistence and hard work.
The 29-year-old star was visibly ecstatic after the match, reflecting on the mental battle it took to reach the three-figure mark once again.
"I tried a lot, but it took a lot of time to reach. But I believed in my hard work that I would reach (another century) sooner or later," Deepti shared via the ICC website.
Mindset and Partnership
While the century was a personal triumph, Sharma emphasized that her primary focus was the team's stability and the necessity of building a strong partnership in the heat of the game. She admitted that while the milestone was on her mind, the priority was the match situation.
"I think more than 100 was in my mind. How can we build a partnership in that situation? That was the mindset. And obviously, 100 is special. It feels good to reach after such a long time," she added, expressing her gratitude for achieving the feat on the Baroda grounds.
India's Power-Hitting Domination
Deepti wasn't the only Indian batter to leave a mark on the game. Former captain Harmanpreet Kaur also entered the century club during the match, contributing a massive 126 runs. Together, their efforts propelled the hosts to a formidable total of 328/6 in their allotted 50 overs.
Zimbabwe's Fight and India's Clinical Finish
Despite the daunting target, Zimbabwe showed resilience. They fought hard throughout their innings, but the Indian bowling unit proved too strong, eventually dismissing the visitors for 207 in the penultimate over.
Showing her trademark sportsmanship, Deepti praised the Zimbabwean side, noting that they are far from a weak team.
- Respect for Opponents: Sharma noted that Zimbabwe played well in the first ODI as well and possess quality batters.
- Bowling Strength: She highlighted that the Indian bowling unit had the confidence to dismiss the opposition regardless of their fight.
- Team Effort: The all-rounder concluded that the victory was a result of a collective team performance.