Deepti Sharma reached a major milestone as India began their Women's Asia Cup 2026 campaign against Thailand in Dubai. The Indian all-rounder became only the third Indian woman to play 150 T20 Internationals, joining captain Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana in the elite club.
The milestone came as India took on Thailand in their opening match of the tournament. Deepti's 150th T20I appearance also made her the 12th woman cricketer worldwide to reach the landmark. Harmanpreet has played 202 T20Is, while Mandhana has featured in 171.
Deepti Sharma's Record-Breaking Career
Deepti has established herself as one of India's most dependable all-rounders across formats. She has been particularly effective with the ball in T20 cricket and is India's leading wicket-taker in the Women's T20 Asia Cup, with 26 wickets. She also holds the Indian record for most wickets in a single edition of the tournament, having claimed 13 wickets in the 2022 edition.
Earlier in 2026, Deepti also produced one of the most remarkable bowling performances of her career, taking 5/10 against Pakistan in the Women's T20 World Cup. Those figures became the best by an Indian woman in T20 internationals at the time.
Smriti Mandhana Creates Another Record
India's opening match against Thailand also saw Smriti Mandhana achieve a significant batting milestone.
Mandhana scored 19 runs from 10 balls, including four boundaries, and moved past New Zealand's Suzie Bates to become the second-highest run-scorer in women's international cricket. Only former India captain Mithali Raj, with 10,868 international runs, remains ahead of her.
Pratika Rawal Makes T20I Debut
The match also marked the T20I debut of Pratika Rawal. The young batter received her maiden India cap before the start of the game and was included in the playing XI alongside Shafali Verma and Mandhana.
India entered the tournament as the defending Women's Asia Cup champions and seven-time winners. Their previous record against Thailand has also been dominant, with India winning all three of their earlier women's T20I meetings.
India vs Thailand: A Strong Start
With experienced players such as Deepti, Mandhana, Harmanpreet and Shafali leading the side, India began their Asia Cup campaign with considerable momentum. The match also provided an opportunity for emerging players like Rawal and Kranti Gaud to gain valuable international experience.
Deepti's 150-T20I milestone and Mandhana's move up the international run-scoring charts added further significance to India's opening Asia Cup fixture.
