"Impact Matters More": Deepti Sharma Becomes Leading T20I Wicket-Taker
India's Deepti Sharma moved past Australia's Megan Schutt to become the leading wicket-taker in women's T20I history.
Deepti Sharma has never chased numbers, but on Tuesday night in Thiruvananthapuram, the numbers came looking for her anyway. With a single, decisive breakthrough in the fifth and final T20I against Sri Lanka, the India all-rounder moved past Australia's Megan Schutt to become the leading wicket-taker in women's T20I history - a milestone she greeted with quiet pride and a firm reminder of where her focus truly lies. "I always feel good whenever you achieve such milestones," Deepti said after the match. "And being an Indian, I always feel proud. Whenever I get more opportunities, I always think about how I can deliver more impactful performances for the Indian team."
That impact was evident as India completed a 5-0 clean sweep with a 15-run win at the Greenfield International Stadium. Deepti's dismissal of Nilakshika Silva took her to 152 wickets in 133 T20Is, edging her past Schutt's long-standing tally of 151. The record had been looming all series - equalled in the third T20I, delayed by a wicketless fourth - before finally falling in the finale.
Yet, Deepti was quick to shift attention away from personal milestones to the collective result. "If I talk about the victory, 5-0, it was a full team effort," she said. "There were different match-winners in every game. This 5-0 win will be a big psychological boost."
The achievement cements Deepti's place not just at the top of one list, but across eras and formats. She is now the first Indian - man or woman - to lead the all-time T20I wicket charts. In the third T20I of the series, she also became the first woman to take 150-plus wickets in both ODIs and T20Is, adding to her already formidable resume that includes 162 ODI wickets. With 334 international wickets across formats, she now sits third overall, behind only Jhulan Goswami and Katherine Sciver-Brunt.
But numbers alone don't define Deepti's value. Across years, conditions, and oppositions, she has been a constant problem-solver for India. She has won three Player-of-the-Series awards in T20Is - joint-most by an Indian - and is the only woman to take 25 or more wickets in a calendar year twice, and 50-plus international wickets in three separate years.
What sets her apart, though, is her clarity of purpose. Even after a historic night, Deepti spoke less about records and more about roadmaps. "New goals still remain to be achieved," she said. "We have to think match by match. The ultimate goal is the World Cup, definitely."
That World Cup focus runs through India's current setup, according to Deepti, who highlighted the depth and competition within the squad. "There are a lot of youngsters who are adapting well to situations," she said. "The more options we get, the better it will be going into the World Cup."
As a bowling unit, pressure is not something this Indian side shies away from. "We don't feel pressure," Deepti said. "We take it as a challenge. Whether it's a spinner or a pacer, everyone has experience. We enjoy that challenge and deliver as much as we can for the team."
In many ways, Deepti Sharma's record-breaking wicket felt inevitable - a natural outcome of years of consistency, intelligence, and restraint. True to form, she let the moment pass without celebration, already looking ahead. Records may now belong to her, but her sights remain firmly set on something bigger in 2026.
India Women