Indian women’s cricket team all-rounder Sneh Rana on Monday (July 12) credited Deepti Sharma for the tourists’ series-leveling second T20I victory over England Women on Sunday (July 11) in Hove.
In the second T20I on Sunday, Deepti produced a Player of the Match performance, contributing with both the bat (24* runs off 27 balls) and ball (1/18) as well as ran out England captain Heather Knight in India’s thrilling 8-run win to level the three-match T20I series in Hove.
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Rana said in a video posted by BCCI Women on Twitter: “She gave us a good start in bowling and we had a very good bowling partnership. She kept it very tight, did not give out any loose deliveries and that is where we had the game.”
While all-rounder Harleen Deol said of the second T20I: “It was an amazing game, nail-biting and that's what you play for.”
Meanwhile, Deepti also lauded Rana for bowling tight overs in the powerplay which built pressure on the hosts' batting line-up in the second T20I.
The all-rounder said in the video, “It is difficult to bowl in the powerplay, she conceded the only couple of runs, that is where the things turned and we bowled in partnership. We planned for dot balls and singles and executed accordingly.”
On her partnership with her skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (31 off 25 balls), Deepti said, “Hitting a six or a boundary obviously gives you the confidence. My aim was to play the same as Harmanpreet and give her the strike more often.”
England lost two wickets in the 4th over where India staged a comeback and eventually won the game. India and England will next lock horns in the third and final T20I on Wednesday (July 14).
She signed off by saying, “Heather Knight's wicket was crucial as set batters were at the crease – Tammy Beaumont (59) and Knight (30). That run out of Knight was important as from there on we pulled back the game.”
(With ANI Inputs)
