Puno, May 21: The multi-talented Deepti Sharma, who will captain Velocity at the upcoming Women’s T20 Challenge at MCA Stadium, revealed that she has been thinking about entering the final of the three-team event.
The tournament also marks the first time that Deepti will take over leadership duties for Velocity in the absence of Mithali Raj.
“What I’m looking to get out of the tournament is to try my best in all three departments of the game. As a captain, I want to take all the players with me and to play a final on a platform like this is a really big thing as a leader. What I think in this moment is to play the final of the tournament,” Deepti said at the virtual pre-tournament press conference.
Deepti further revealed that she has been working on her power hitting skills after the conclusion of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand and hinted at opening batting for Velocity in the Women’s T20 Challenge.
“After the World Cup, I worked a little bit on my power shot with the coaches and also worked on the inside-out shots. I hope you see me do that (opening). I’ve opened nationally and also before (for India) I like to bat in the top order as long as you have time and the power play is on too Deepti, who had been vice-captain in India’s last two ODIs against New Zealand in February, feels the three-team event will provide good exposure to national circuit players who will be performing for the first time.
“This is a good opportunity because foreign players also come and also new national players who perform well on the domestic circuit. gain from the experiences of veteran players as well as foreign cricketers, which is very good.” From the Velocity team, Nagaland starter Kiran Navgire, along with Maharashtra duo Maya Sonawane, who spin the legs, and Aarti Kedar, who spins her left arm, are the players to watch after doing well in the senior women’s T20 league.
Navgire, who topped the run scoring charts with 525 runs at an average of 131.25 and a strike rate of 172.69, turned heads with a 76-ball 162 against Arunachal Pradesh, making her the only Indian man or woman to score over 150 in a T20 match.
“I saw Kiran hitting into the nets for the first time. She’s like Shafali; she hits a lot of hard shots. When she hits, you don’t realize she’s a girl hitting and it feels like boys are playing shots.” She’s a good talent, a power puncher. The most times, I’ve seen her hit sixes in the two sessions we had. She feels like any ball that comes to her will all go into the stands, which is good to see,” Deepti said in her first observations of Navgire.
While Kedar finished as the leading wicket-taker with 13 scalps in eight matches, Sonawane provided her wide support with 11 wickets in as many matches. Deepti further explained how Sonawane’s control and variations become effective for Velocity in tournament play.
“I haven’t seen Maya much in domestic competition, it’s been two or three times. But yeah, she has a very different action compared to other leg spinners and she has really good variations. Tell her to play a particular bowling alley.” ball, she’s ready to bowl that on her own, which is what I talk to her about in the nets.” “She has very good control in terms of which pins and in which areas. When a bowler is in control, you realize how good she can be. She is always ready to take on challenges, which is a good quality of hers. One does not know the variations that she possesses, including Maya herself. Her line and length are very good and she definitely has a lot of talent. She herself does not know what ball she is going to throw or even draw a wicket, “concluded the all-rounder.