Deepti Sharma on Niki Prasad’s 39*: ‘Didn’t feel like she was making her debut’

At 19/4 in the powerplay while chasing 115, India were staring at an upset against Zimbabwe in the first T20I in Raipur. Deepti Sharma had the responsibility of steadying the chase, but had to do so with Niki Prasad, Richa Ghosh and the lower middle-order to come.

Prasad, making her T20I debut, proved to be a valuable ally. The pair’s 82-run stand off 63 balls pulled India out of trouble and helped them to a nervy four-wicket win.

Deepti, who fell for 49 with India needing 14 runs to win, praised the 20-year-old and said it did not feel like she was making her debut while batting alongside her.

“Niki played very well. Honestly, it didn’t feel like she was making her debut. She was playing her first game today, but it felt like she had played many matches in the past for the country,” she said in the post-match press conference.

“This confidence of a youngster is different. When you are playing at the crease and the team needs that kind of partnership to take the team out of a tough situation and win the match, that was very good. I am very sure that she will get a lot of confidence from this match,” Deepti added.

The situation could have become more difficult after India lost four wickets in the powerplay. But Deepti said there was no panic in the middle, with the batters instead pausing to assess how they could take the chase forward.

“Somewhere, we took a little pause at that point. We thought, ‘What can we do next?’ Because if there is no pressure, how will you become strong as a player and as a team? So, this is something that is necessary.”

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“And from that place, somewhere, we took the team to a place from where we won the match. So, as a team, this is what we want,” the all-rounder said.

Deepti also pointed to the presence of Ghosh, who was yet to come in, as another reason there was no sense of panic.

“We both were there, Richa was also there. So, it didn’t feel like anything could happen. We both played, and Richa was there as well,” she added.

The partnership took India within touching distance of victory before Deepti was dismissed. The all-rounder admitted she could have finished the chase herself.

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“The team needed 10-11 (14) runs at that time. There, I couldn’t finish.”

“In my mind, I had to build a partnership and take the game close and then finish. So, that was a little mistake from my side. But I am sure that I won’t repeat it. I am just saying that the sooner we finish the match, the better it will be,” Deepti said.

Deepti has become an integral part of India’s white-ball teams over the past few years and said the team’s focus remained on improving from one match to the next.

“When we talk in meetings, we always think how we can improve day by day and how we have to improve in everything. Because no team is perfect. We have to improve. And we have been playing so many matches in the series. That gives us confidence.”

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“In all the camps, we try to address all the mistakes and come back well prepared in every series and match. So, as a team, we think about how we can dominate in the future,” she said.