New Delhi, June 15 (IANS) India all-rounder Deepti Sharma has shed light on the conversations that helped her side wrest control back from Pakistan in their Women’s T20 World Cup opener, revealing that calmness and belief within the bowling group played a key role in scripting a dramatic turnaround.

Deepti, who produced a match-winning five-wicket haul after Pakistan made a promising start to their chase, described the performance as one of the most memorable moments of her career. The spell came after Pakistan had threatened to put India under pressure during the Powerplay. However, Deepti revealed that the mood within the camp remained composed during the first drinks break despite the early challenge.

“It’s difficult to pick one moment because everything I was able to do in this game was special, but I’ll go with the five-wicket haul. It’s very rare in an ICC tournament to pick up a fifer and end up winning the game for your team. When the first drinks break happened, the discussion was about stepping up a little because we know the quality of talent and players we have in our side,” Deepti told JioStar.

According to the experienced spinner, the message from the leadership group and support staff was simple;, remain positive and focus only on the next opportunity.

“Even if you go for runs in one over, it doesn’t matter because you’ll get a chance to make a comeback in the next. Everyone stayed positive, and the same message was passed on to every bowler, to stay on their toes, focus on what they could do better in the next over, and forget what happened in the previous one,” she added.

That collective approach eventually paid dividends as India’s spinners tightened the screws and triggered a collapse that swung the match decisively in their favour.

Beyond her own performance, Deepti also spoke about the importance of helping India’s younger spinners develop confidence in pressure situations. With youngsters such as Shreyanka Patil and Shree Charani contributing during the tournament opener, the senior all-rounder stressed the importance of trusting one’s strengths rather than overcomplicating plans.

“My message to the youngsters, or whenever there are bowling meetings, I tell them to stick to what has been working for them. Read the conditions and, if you feel your best ball or your best plans can bring you success on that wicket, then back them and leave the rest to the Almighty. If you execute your plans with self-belief, success will eventually come,” she stated.

The victory over Pakistan was also marked by a series of sharp fielding efforts, an area India had identified for improvement before the tournament. Deepti credited the team’s preparation during its pre-World Cup camp for the noticeable improvement in standards.

“Before the T20 World Cup, we had a camp at the Centre of Excellence, where we worked extensively on our fielding and fitness with the coaches. We wanted to improve day by day in those areas, and I’m glad all that effort showed today,” the all-rounder said.

Several catches and athletic fielding proved crucial during Pakistan’s chase, and Deepti was pleased to see the hard work translate into match situations, as she said, “They weren’t the easiest catches, whether it was the one Smriti took diving forward or Jemimah’s catch. It’s great to see the team putting in that kind of effort, and I’m feeling very positive about the team going ahead.”

Deepti’s performance continued her reputation as one of India’s most dependable players in global tournaments. Asked about her ability to deliver on the biggest stage, the left-arm spinner said her approach remains unchanged regardless of the opposition.

“I enjoy ICC tournaments, and this was our first game, so I wanted to start well. It’s not as though we were playing against Pakistan and came in with a different mindset. I approach every game with the same mindset,” she expressed.

For Deepti, handling pressure begins long before the ball leaves her hand.

“When you want to perform in pressure situations and want to do well from the moment you begin your run-up, it toughens you up and helps you deliver, irrespective of the situation or the conditions,” she mentioned.

With India now turning its attention to its next group-stage fixture against the Netherlands at Headingley, Deepti believes the team’s recent experience in English conditions could prove valuable. “Fortunately, we had a series in England before the World Cup, so we already have some understanding of the conditions,” she said.

While India have not yet played at Headingley during the tournament, Deepti is confident the side will adapt quickly. She stated, “Yes, we haven’t played at Headingley yet, but we’ll get a day or two to acclimatise when we practise there. We’ll take the positives from this game into the next one.”

India will next face the Netherlands on Wednesday at Headingley in Leeds.

–IANS

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