Seasoned all-rounder Deepti Sharma says she relishes the pressure that comes with ICC tournaments after delivering a match-winning performance in India's opening Women's T20 World Cup game against arch foes Pakistan in Birmingham.

Having endured underwhelming series against Australia, South Africa and England, Deepti ended her lean patch in style with career-best figures of 5/10 as India began their campaign with a commanding 64-run victory on Sunday (June 14, 2026).

Her spell was the best by an Indian bowler in the history of the Women's T20 World Cup and was the third-best bowling figures overall in the tournament.

The performance came less than a year after Deepti's five-wicket haul in the ODI World Cup final, which helped India clinch their maiden 50-over World Cup title.

"I like the pressure conditions and ICC tournaments; I feel I have started again from where I had finished, so it feels good. I'm focusing on my process...the same things I do in practice I am applying in matches," Deepti said at the post-match press conference.

"These things help me and the only thing is that I have to keep moving forward, and not stop and day by day have to keep improving."

Looking back

The 28-year-old was a part of the Indian team that reached the ODI World Cup final here in 2017.

Reflecting on her journey since that time, Deepti said, "When you look at young Deepti and now senior Deepti it feels very good. Looking back at the earlier matches and the 2017 World Cup, I learned a lot from that World Cup and I learn from every match where the errors are happening and where I can be better.

"Then I regularly talk to Avishkar sir about what always helps me; I watch my videos, so I think there is always learning from every match — it doesn't matter whether you are winning or not.

"You are considered a good player only when you think about how to improve even your good qualities, and every match is important to me and I'm just enjoying it. So it feels good," she added.

Simple plans

Against Pakistan, Deepti dismissed opener Gull Feroza Ayesha Zafar, Aliya Riaz, Nashra Sandhu, and Tasmia Rubab, while scoring an unbeaten 12 of 9 balls.

"I kept my plans very simple and just had self-belief that whenever such situations arise, I'll have to step up. And since the wicket was slightly turning I was hitting my good balls and landing them well, and it was just about bowling back-to-back in the good areas.

"On today's pitch speed was very crucial, so I was varying it in every over, and that helped me."

Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur rescued India with a 91-run partnership after the Women in Blue were reduced to 2/18.

"I think unbelievable batting by Smriti and special mention about that partnership, Smriti and Hari, they batted really well.

"From there we got the momentum because initially we lost early wickets, but we always thought that we have a good batting line-up so we contribute and how they batted is commendable."

India will next take on debutants Netherlands.

"I think they played today and it's a good team and first time they've qualified for the World Cup and we are not taking that game lightly, but it's a few days until that game and now we are looking good, we are doing good and we are just focusing that each and every match is important for us and we will play our positive cricket.