Cricket

London Spirit's Heather Knight and Deepti Sharma orchestrated a commanding seven-wicket victory over Northern Superchargers at Headingley in the Hundred, propelling their team into contention for the play-off stages while eliminating their opponents.The Spirit's bowlers set the tone, dismantling the Superchargers' top order within the first 14 deliveries. Tara Norris, Eva Gray, and Dani Gibson each claimed a wicket, including the prized scalp of Phoebe Litchfield. Annabel Sutherland attempted to salvage the innings, but her dismissal off Deepti's bowling extinguished any hopes of a substantial total. Alice Davidson-Richards' 33 provided some respite, but the Superchargers' 99 for 7 felt inadequate.In the chase, Meg Lanning's early sixes propelled the Spirit ahead of the required run rate. Linsey Smith briefly raised Superchargers' hopes with three wickets, but Knight and Deepti's partnership proved unbreakable. Their patient approach transformed into an acceleration towards the end, securing the victory with relative ease.Deepti, the Meerkat Match Hero, attributed the triumph to the bowlers' execution and her own adaptability to challenging conditions. She emphasized the team's focus on their own performances and their anticipation of the upcoming fixtures that will determine the final play-off standings.

Oval Invincibles secured a crucial victory over London Spirit in The Hundred, boosting their chances of reaching the tournament's final.Chasing a modest target of 120, Invincibles captain Lauren Winfield-Hill led the charge with a composed half-century (61 off 40 balls). She formed a solid partnership with Marizanne Kapp (30* off 21 balls), who provided the finishing touches to seal the eight-wicket win with nine balls to spare.London Spirit's innings had been rescued by Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma, who guided her team to a respectable total of 120 for 8. Sharma's unbeaten 46 off 34 balls, along with Eva Gray's 22, helped Spirit recover from a precarious 47 for 7.Invincibles bowlers had initially dominated, with Kapp dismissing Meg Lanning for a duck and taking a wicket apiece. However, Sharma and Gray's partnership of 73 for the eighth wicket proved crucial.In the chase, Winfield-Hill played intelligently, nullifying the threat of Spirit's spinners and finding boundaries with ease. Kapp provided support, adding impetus to the chase and ensuring a comfortable victory.The win leaves Invincibles in control of their destiny with one game remaining. They can secure a place in the Eliminator with a win in their final match. For London Spirit, they need to win their last game and hope for favorable results elsewhere to qualify for the top three.

In a thrilling encounter at Lord's, the Oval Invincibles and London Spirit played out a dramatic tie in front of a packed crowd of 17,810. The match was marked by exceptional performances from overseas stars Marizanne Kapp and Deepti Sharma.Kapp, the South African all-rounder, starred for the Invincibles with a brilliant 4 for 11 and a quickfire 47. Her bowling prowess was on full display as she dismissed Meg Lanning, Cordelia Griffith, Georgia Redmayne, and Heather Knight. With the bat, she played a crucial role in the Invincibles' chase, smashing a 32-ball 47.Deepti, the Indian all-rounder, was equally impressive for the Spirit. She took 3 for 18 with her economical off-spin, including the key wickets of Alice Capsey, Paige Scholfield, and Mady Villiers. She also contributed a valuable 44 runs with the bat, anchoring the Spirit's innings.The match was a see-saw affair, with both teams trading blows throughout. The Invincibles looked in control after Kapp's early wickets, but Deepti's recovery innings kept the Spirit in the game. In the chase, Kapp's knock gave the Invincibles hope, but Deepti's bowling and some smart fielding from the Spirit kept them in the hunt.The final over was a nail-biting affair. With the Invincibles needing two runs from the final ball, Ryana MacDonald-Gay and Jo Gardner attempted a match-winning two. However, a brilliant run-out by Charlie Dean denied them victory.The tie was a testament to the skill and determination of both teams. Kapp and Deepti were the standout performers, but the contributions of other players, such as Cordelia Griffith, Georgia Redmayne, and Eva Gray for the Spirit, and Alice Capsey, Sarah Glenn, and Amanda-Jade Wellington for the Invincibles, were also crucial.

India's senior all-rounder Deepti Sharma has emphasized the team's strategy of taking each game at a time in the ongoing Women's T20 Asia Cup. She believes that the conditions in Sri Lanka have remained largely unchanged since their previous tour in June 2022.After a resounding 82-run victory over Nepal on Tuesday, India secured their place in the semifinals. Shafali Verma's blistering 81 off 48 balls and Deepti's impressive 3/13 bowling performance were instrumental in the win."From the first game, we've been confident about each match, every situation, and the conditions," Deepti said after the match. "We're looking forward to the semifinals as well."Deepti noted that the pitches and conditions in Sri Lanka have not changed significantly since their last visit. "Nothing has changed," she said. "We're just keeping it simple and focusing on the next match."The right-arm off-spinner has been in top form, leading the bowling charts with eight wickets in three matches. She attributes her success to her willingness to bowl in any situation."I'm always ready to bowl in any kind of situation," Deepti said. "I like to take challenges head-on. I'm enjoying each match, planning accordingly, and applying what we discuss in meetings."Deepti also praised the team's batting unit, which has performed consistently throughout the tournament. "If we win the toss, we take a positive approach from the start," she said. "As a batting unit, we've been doing really well from the first game and we've finished well too."India will now face Thailand in the semifinals on Thursday, October 13. Deepti believes that the team is well-prepared and confident of continuing their winning streak.

India's women's cricket team began their title defense in the Asia Cup with a resounding seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in Sylhet, Bangladesh.After winning the toss and electing to bowl, India's bowlers led by Deepti Sharma (3/20) restricted Pakistan to a modest total of 108. Pooja Vastrakar (2/22) and Shreyanka Patil (1/17) also contributed with wickets.In response, India's openers Smriti Mandhana (45) and Shafali Verma (40) put on an aggressive 85-run partnership to set the tone for the chase. Mandhana was particularly impressive, hitting five boundaries off Nashra Sandhu in the seventh over.After the departure of Mandhana and Verma, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (16*) and Jemimah Rodrigues (15*) guided India home with 35 balls to spare.

Deepti Sharma, the Indian all-rounder, will return to the Hundred this year, signing for London Spirit as a replacement for the injured Grace Harris. Sharma previously played for Spirit in the inaugural season of the competition in 2021 and was an unused member of Birmingham Phoenix's squad the following summer.The Hundred, a 100-ball cricket tournament, commences on July 23. Spirit's opening fixture is scheduled for the following day against Southern Brave. However, Sharma will miss the start of the competition due to her participation in the Asia Cup in Dambulla. Erin Burns, who is currently playing for Northern Diamonds in England, will replace Sharma for the first two games.Sharma is one of three Indian players set to participate in the Hundred this season, alongside Richa Ghosh (Birmingham Phoenix) and Smriti Mandhana (Southern Brave). Like Sharma, both players are part of India's Asia Cup squad and will miss the first week of the competition.The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the latest tranche of replacement players on Thursday afternoon. Sophie Molineux (Manchester Originals) also withdrew from the Hundred, with no reason provided. Australia has a busy schedule ahead, including a short series against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup in September.Molineux has been replaced by Kim Garth, while Bethan Ellis will join her at the Originals after Mahika Gaur pulled out due to a side strain. Tash Farrant has been ruled out with a hamstring injury but is yet to be replaced at Oval Invincibles. Beth Langston will replace Claire Nicholas at Welsh Fire.As reported by ESPNcricinfo, England's Test batters will be released to play in the men's Hundred immediately after their third Test against West Indies at Edgbaston. However, their bowlers and all-rounders, including Ben Stokes, are likely to play only the second half of the group stages due to workload management.Other notable replacement deals include Leicestershire's Louis Kimber, who takes up the injured Will Smeed's spot at Phoenix, and Mohammad Amir, who has signed for the defending champions Oval Invincibles as short-term cover while Spencer Johnson concludes his commitments at Major League Cricket.

Women's red-ball cricket made a triumphant return to India's domestic calendar after a six-year hiatus, with the Senior Women Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy kicking off in Pune on March 28. East Zone, led by Deepti Sharma, opted to bat first and put up a formidable 385 for 8 against North East Zone.East Zone's innings was anchored by a magnificent 140 from Dhara Gujjar, who batted for 216 balls and struck 22 boundaries. She shared crucial partnerships with Rizu Saha (109 runs) and Durga Murmu (99 runs), consolidating the innings after the early loss of Uma Chetry (47) and Deepti Sharma (49).North East Zone's bowling attack was led by Debasmita Dutta, who claimed 5/76 from 32 overs. Yasin Sariba also chipped in with 2/100.In the other match of the tournament, West Zone dominated Central Zone at the DY Patil Academy in Ambi. West Zone's spin duo of Anuja Patil (5/75) and Radha Yadav (3/55) shared eight wickets between them, bowling Central Zone out for 245 in 87.3 overs.Punam Raut top-scored for Central Zone with a resolute 84 off 209 balls, but her efforts were not enough to prevent West Zone from taking a strong position in the match. West Zone ended the day on 26 for no loss, trailing Central Zone by 219 runs.

In a thrilling Women's Premier League encounter, Gujarat Giants narrowly defeated UP Warriorz by eight runs, despite a valiant effort from all-rounder Deepti Sharma.Chasing 153 for victory, Warriorz stumbled to 35 for 5 before Deepti (88* off 60) and Poonam Khemnar (36 off 36) forged a remarkable 109-run partnership. However, with 26 runs required in the final over, the duo fell short, handing Giants a consolation win.16-year-old pacer Shabnam Shakil emerged as a star for Giants, claiming 3/11 to stifle Deepti's brilliance and extinguish Warriorz's playoff hopes.Earlier, UP Warriorz's spin trio of Sophie Ecclestone (3/38), Deepti, and Rajeswari Gayakwad (1/28) restricted Gujarat Giants to 152 for 8. Beth Mooney's unbeaten 74 provided some respite for Giants, but their Indian contingent struggled with poor shot selection and game sense.Despite the loss, Deepti's performance showcased her exceptional talent. Her unbeaten 88 included nine fours, while Khemnar's contribution kept Warriorz in the hunt. However, Shabnam's impressive bowling and Giants' fielding prowess ultimately proved decisive.The result leaves Warriorz with a negative net run-rate of -0.371, effectively ending their playoff aspirations. Giants, on the other hand, finish their dismal campaign with a win, but their overall performance has been disappointing.

Deepti Sharma's All-Round Brilliance Powers UP Warriorz to Thrilling WPL VictoryIn a captivating encounter at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Deepti Sharma's exceptional all-round performance propelled UP Warriorz to a nail-biting one-run victory over Delhi Capitals in the Women's Premier League (WPL).Sharma's batting prowess was on full display as she anchored the Warriorz innings with a crucial 59 runs off 48 deliveries. Her innings was a blend of power and finesse, with boundaries flowing effortlessly from her bat. She forged a vital 46-run partnership with skipper Alyssa Healy, providing a solid foundation for the team's total of 138 for 8.However, it was Sharma's bowling that truly stole the show. In a historic moment, she became only the second player in WPL history to claim a hat-trick. Her victims were Annabel Sutherland, Anuradha Reddy, and Shikha Pandey, all dismissed in the penultimate over of the match.Delhi Capitals, chasing 139 for victory, looked poised to pull off the win thanks to Meg Lanning's brilliant 60. However, Sharma's hat-trick triggered a dramatic collapse, with Delhi losing their last seven wickets for just 44 runs.The final over was a tense affair, with Delhi needing 10 runs for victory. Grace Harris picked up two wickets, while a crucial run-out sealed the win for UP Warriorz.Sharma's all-round brilliance was the difference between the two sides. Her contributions with both bat and ball were instrumental in securing the victory for her team.