Heather Knight Acknowledges Deepti Sharma's Bravery In Thrilling Victory In London Spirit

Six seals from Deepti Sharma help London Spirit to retain their title, thereby keeping the squad on edge before the final moment

Deepti Sharma's crucial six in the last over guaranteed London Spirit's triumph in The Hundred Women's 2024 final /

By Mohamed Bahaa

Following their exciting triumph over Welsh Fire in the Hundred Women's 2024 final at Lord's, London Spirit captain Heather Knight shared her remarks after the match. The game was a nail-biter, London Spirit needing four runs from the last three balls to meet their aim of 116. Having battled to find her form earlier in the innings, Depti Sharma came up in the last moments to strike Hayley Matthews for a decisive six, therefore securing the victory for her team.

Depti started slowly and missed a boundary off her first 15 deliveries, putting immense pressure on the squad and herself. When it counted most, though, she advanced the pitch and lofted Matthews' ball over long-on, past Shabnim Ismail's reach. With this forceful strike, London Spirit guaranteed their four-wicket triumph and could raise the much-coveted trophy.

When Heather Knight thought back on the stressful last seconds, she said the match's closing phases were nerve-wracking. She also gave Danni Gibson high marks, as for his crucial role with a quick-fire 22 off just nine balls after the Spirit lost key players, including Knight and Meg Lanning.

"It was incredibly tense; I’m a terrible spectator and felt quite sick during the last 20-30 balls. Deepti really kept us on edge at the end, but she got us over the line. I’m a bit nervous about lifting the trophy—it’s pretty heavy! And Dani Gibson, what a star—she completely turned the game around!" Knight noted following the game.

26-year-old Deepti Sharma showed her confidence in making the winning shot and stayed unaffected by the pressure. "Hitting that six to win the game felt amazing. I wasn't nervous; I believed I could do it. Positive thinking was key!" Deepti said.

Apart from her batting heroics, Deepti made a major impact with the ball, delivering an economical spell with figures of 20-8-23-1 and therefore providing a crucial run-out. Showcasing her all-round ability, she accumulated 212 runs at a strike rate of 132.50 and grabbed eight wickets at an economy of 6.85 across the competition.