India all-rounder Deepti Sharma praised Niki Prasad’s composure after the debutant played a crucial role in India’s four-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the opening women’s T20I in Raipur. Prasad scored an unbeaten 39 off 35 balls and shared an 82-run partnership with Deepti, helping India recover from a disastrous 19/4 to chase down 115 with 26 balls remaining.
Niki Prasad Impresses Deepti on International Debut
India appeared to be heading for a comfortable victory after restricting Zimbabwe to 114/5. However, offspinner Nyasha Gwanzura struck three times in her first two overs, leaving the hosts struggling at 19/4.
Deepti and Prasad steadied the innings with a match-winning fifth-wicket partnership. Deepti contributed 49 from 37 deliveries, while Prasad remained unbeaten on 39 to guide India home.
Speaking after the match, Deepti praised the youngster’s confidence and maturity under pressure.
“Niki played really well,” Deepti said in her post-match press conference. “Honestly, it didn’t seem at all like she was making her debut. It felt like she had played quite a few matches in the past, for the country.
“This confidence from a youngster is remarkable – you’re building a partnership when the team needs it, winning the match from a tough situation. I’m sure she’ll take a lot of confidence from this match.”
Deepti Explains How India Handled Early Collapse
Despite losing four wickets inside the first four overs, Deepti insisted there was no panic in the Indian dressing room. With Richa Ghosh still to bat, the experienced all-rounder believed India had enough batting depth to recover.
“To tell you the truth, the two of us were there, there was Richa [Ghosh] as well, batting behind us. It didn’t feel like [a situation where] anything could happen,” Deepti said. “We took a bit of a pause at that moment, and thought about what to do next.
“It definitely wasn’t [a situation for panic], because if there’s no pressure, how will you grow strong as a player, and as a team? These situations are necessary from time to time, and from there we took the team to a place from where we won the match. As a team, this is what we want.”
Their partnership transformed the chase, allowing India to regain control after Zimbabwe’s impressive opening spell.
India Will Continue Playing Aggressive Cricket
India’s top-order collapse resulted largely from attacking shots that failed to come off. However, Deepti defended the team’s approach and insisted the players would continue backing their aggressive style.
“Of course, we want to play an aggressive brand of cricket, and that was in our mind,” Deepti said. “Occasionally these things happen in a match. There is no god who gives you exactly what you want. But we always learn from our innings and our matches. I’m sure what happened today won’t happen in the next match.”
The all-rounder acknowledged that occasional setbacks were inevitable but stressed the importance of learning from difficult situations.
Deepti Disappointed After Missing Half-Century
Deepti finished as India’s leading scorer with 49 off 37 balls and received the Player of the Match award for her contribution. However, she admitted feeling disappointed after falling one run short of her half-century. She was dismissed attempting a sweep when India needed just 14 more runs to win.
“At that moment I felt bad for not finishing the match,” she said. “I had thought I should build a partnership, take us close [to the target], and then finish, but I made a small mistake. I’m sure I won’t repeat it, but it was just the thought that it would be good to finish the match as quickly as possible.”
Although Deepti could not finish the chase herself, Prasad remained at the crease to secure victory.
The result gave India a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series and provided an encouraging start to Smriti Mandhana’s tenure as full-time captain.
For Prasad, the unbeaten innings marked a memorable international debut and demonstrated her ability to perform under pressure.
SEO Title: Deepti Sharma Hails Niki Prasad’s Match-Winning Debut
Meta Description: Deepti Sharma praises debutant Niki Prasad after their 82-run partnership rescues India from 19/4 in a four-wicket T20I victory over Zimbabwe.
