Deepti Sharma Becomes Highest Wicket-Taker in WT20Is, Achieves Feat During IND vs PAK ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026
With her five-wicket haul, Sharma also enters an exclusive bracket as only the third Indian bowler to register a five-wicket haul in the history of the competition, alongside Priyanka Roy (2009) and Renuka Singh (2023).
India all-rounder Deepti Sharma made cricket history on Sunday, 14 June 2026, becoming the all-time leading wicket-taker in Women’s Twenty20 Internationals (WT20Is). The 28-year-old off-spinner achieved the milestone during India’s comprehensive 64-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in their opening Group 1 fixture of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Edgbaston. Sharma dismantled the Pakistani batting line-up with career-best figures of 5 for 10, overtaking Thailand’s Thipatcha Putthawong at the apex of the global standings. Deepti Sharma's 5-Wicket Haul Powers India to Win Over Pakistan in ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026.
Deepti Sharma Creates History
A historic fifer for a historic milestone! 🫡
Deepti Sharma, take a bow 👏💙
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/1tfRc3jcrX#TeamIndia | #WomenInBlue | #T20WorldCup | @Deepti_Sharma06 pic.twitter.com/i606UJ3qPI
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) June 14, 2026
Entering the match with 161 wickets, Sharma required five scalps to surpass Putthawong’s record of 165. She achieved the feat in spectacular fashion, engineering a dramatic collapse as Pakistan attempted to chase down India's total of 170 for 6.
Sharma claimed her 166th international wicket in the shortest format during the latter stages of her four-over spell. Her deadly precision stifled the opposition, accounting for key batswomen including openers Gull Feroza and Ayesha Zafar, alongside middle-order threat Aliya Riaz. Her efforts restricted Pakistan to 106 all out in 17 overs.
The performance marks Sharma's first five-wicket haul in an ICC Women's T20 World Cup tournament. With this milestone, she also enters an exclusive bracket as only the third Indian bowler to register a five-wicket haul in the history of the competition, alongside Priyanka Roy (2009) and Renuka Singh (2023). The feat continues a prolonged period of individual consistency for the Indian spinner, who previously broke the 150-wicket barrier earlier in the year. India vs Pakistan WT20 WC 2026 Clash Becomes Highest-Attended ICC Women's T20 World Cup Group Match.
All-Time Leading Wicket-Takers in Women's T20Is
| Player | Nation | Matches | Wickets | Career Bowling Average |
| Deepti Sharma | India | 145 | 166 | 19.42 |
| Thipatcha Putthawong | Thailand | 105 | 165 | 8.87 |
| Henriette Ishimwe | Rwanda | 131 | 160 | 10.76 |
| Megan Schutt | Australia | 125 | 152 | 17.78 |
Sharma's record-breaking spell capped off a thoroughly dominant display by the Indian contingent in front of a record-breaking sell-out crowd in Birmingham. Earlier in the day, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana laid the foundation with an aggressive 44-ball 68, anchoring the innings alongside captain Harmanpreet Kaur.
The structural victory gives India an immediate boost to their Net Run-Rate (+3.200) in Group 1, positioning them favorably behind Australia as they look to secure a top-two finish to qualify for the knockout semi-finals.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 14, 2026 11:31 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
