Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma etched her name in cricket history during the third T20I against Sri Lanka, becoming the first Indian cricketer, male or female, to take 150 wickets in T20 Internationals. India dominated with both ball and bat, with Renuka Singh’s brilliant bowling and Shafali Verma’s explosive innings guiding the team to an eight-wicket victory, securing a 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Deepti Sharma achieved the landmark by dismissing Sri Lankan batter Kavisha Dilhari. Earlier, she had sent Sri Lanka captain Chamari Athapaththu back to the pavilion for just three runs, marking her 149th wicket. With Dilhari’s wicket off the last ball of the 14th over, Deepti reached the 150-wicket mark. She then dismissed Malsha Shehani in her final over to register her 151st T20I wicket. This performance brings her level with Australia’s Megan Schutt, moving her closer to becoming the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20 cricket.

From the outset, India’s bowlers put Sri Lanka under immense pressure. Renuka Singh Thakur, making a comeback, dismantled Sri Lanka’s top order, taking four wickets for just 21 runs. Deepti Sharma complemented her with three wickets for 18 runs, leaving Sri Lanka struggling at 32/3 after six overs. The visitors never recovered from this early blow.

Sri Lanka’s innings lacked momentum. Captain Chamari Athapaththu and Hasini Perera showed brief resistance, but the middle order failed to capitalize. Hasini scored 25 runs off 18 balls, Imesha Dulani contributed 27 off 32, and Kavisha Dilhari added 20 off 13 balls. Wicketkeeper Koushini Nuthyangna finished unbeaten with 19 runs, taking the total to 112/7 in 20 overs.

Chasing 113, India’s openers set the tone aggressively. Shafali Verma scored a rapid 50 off just 24 balls and finished 79 runs off 42 balls, showcasing her fearless style. Despite early dismissals of Smriti Mandhana and Jamima Rodrigues, the team remained unshaken. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur contributed an unbeaten 21 runs, and India sealed victory with 6.4 overs to spare, taking a 3-0 lead in the series.

Deepti Sharma’s record-breaking achievement and India’s dominant performance highlight the team’s growing strength in women’s cricket.