London: India’s all‑rounder Deepti Sharma played a sublime unbeaten 62 off 64 balls in the opening ODI against England at Southampton on July 16, a knock that earned her the Player of the Match award .
One‑handed six channels Pant’s fearless approach
Amid her composed innings, Sharma struck the only six of the match—a towering one‑handed hit off Lauren Bell over deep mid‑wicket. The audacious shot cleared the boundary at the Rose Bowl and, in the post‑match press conference, she revealed: “I play these shots in practice … I picked that up from Rishabh Pant.”
🚨Deepti Sharma on One-Handed Six
“I play these shots in practice — I picked that up from Rishabh Pant,” she said after stunning fans with an audacious one-handed six. #INDWvsENGW
pic.twitter.com/ecM7X6MoIy— Backchod Indian (@IndianBackchod) July 17, 2025
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Sharma and Rodrigues combine to anchor chase
Coming in at 124/4, Sharma stitched together a commanding 90‑run partnership with Jemimah Rodrigues (48 off 54 balls), easing pressure on India’s middle order. Her steady approach proved pivotal as India chased down 259 with ten balls to spare—marking India’s second‑highest successful run chase in Women’s ODIs .
A sign of women’s cricket going bold
In crediting Pant for her cross‑gender influence, Sharma’s words point to a broader trend in women’s cricket: a growing embrace of innovation and fearless stroke play. As she put it: “We have played in England before. We enjoy these conditions” .
England’s Sophia Dunkley top‑scored with 83, but couldn’t find ample support, leaving them short on runs . India will look to build on this strong start in the second ODI at Lord’s on July 19.
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