Harman’s faith in me allows me to perform without feeling any pressure: Deepti Sharma

Team India, on Monday, made it three wins out of three in the ongoing tri-series as they triumphed over the Hayley Matthews-led West Indies emphatically, thrashing them by 8 wickets to sound a warning to hosts South Africa ahead of the final on Thursday, February 2nd.

India all but sealed victory in the first innings as they restricted the Windies to just 94/6, and the star performer for the Women in Blue, yet again, was Deepti Sharma, who picked her second three-wicket haul of the tri-series. 

Deepti was introduced into the attack as early as the fourth over, and she shifted the contest fully in India’s direction in no time, accounting for the wickets of Rashada Williams and Shemaine Campbelle in back-to-back deliveries. The double-strike put Windies on the back-foot and they eventually never went on to recover as for the third time in four matches in the ongoing tri-series, they went on to post a sub-100 total. Deepti, the destroyer-in-chief, finished with astonishing figures of 4-2-11-3.

Named Player of the Match for her efforts, the all-rounder, post the game, revealed that the faith the captain and the management have in her enables to perform freely and deliver her best game in and game out.

“They have faith in me, the captain and the management. I just bowl according to the conditions,” Deepti said.

“I practised before the games, to bowl in all phases of the game and they are supporting me. I really don't feel pressure. I enjoy wherever I get an opportunity, to bat or bowl."

It was eventually a walk in the park for India as they knocked off the target inside 14 overs, losing just two wickets, but skipper Harmanpreet Kaur felt that her side could — and should — have been even more ruthless with the ball.

"We bowled well, still we could have done better than this. A target less than 100 was okay but I was looking at less than 80,” Harmanpreet said.

The skipper did, however, express delight over the showing of Jemimah Rodrigues, who after a lean patch struck a brisk 42* (39) in the chase. Prior to Monday, Jemimah had averaged 8.71 across her previous 8 T20Is. 

“Really happy that Jemi [Rodrigues] got some runs today,” Harmanpreet said, while adding that she was pleased with her own performance with the bat (32* off 23 balls).

The final of the tri-series will be played between India and South Africa at Buffalo Park on Thursday, February 2.