Smriti Mandhana told to focus on dot balls, says Deepti Sharma

Trailblazers and India all-rounder Deepti Sharma on Wednesday said her captain Smriti Mandhana suggested her to focus on dot balls against Mithali Raj-led Velocity in the second match of the Women's T20 Challenge.

"From starting, Smriti (Mandhana) told me that I should focus on dot deliveries rest let them (Velocity) do whatever they want to," Deepti said after the match.

Just when Velocity needed two runs off 18 balls, the 21-year-old took three wickets, including Mithali, in a clever spell to spoil the opponent's sweet victory at the Sawai Mansingh stadium. However, on the last ball off Deepti, Sushree Dibyadarshini finally got the job done and took Velocity over the line. Earlier, Deepti bowled out Hayley Matthews cheaply for five, returning with the figures of 4/14.

A well-compiled 43 by Harleen Deol helped Trailblazers post 112/6 after put in to bat. Acknowledging the score was not sufficient, Deepti said, "I will call it a fighting score because whenever you score 100 or 110 it eventually becomes a fighting total and it goes very close. Had we put 10 or 15 more runs we could have taken it to last over."

"Harleen is a brilliant batswoman. We play together in domestic (league). Recently, she performed well in domestic. If we reach in the Women's T20 Challenge finals, I hope she performs well," Deepti said while lauding Harleen's heroics.

When asked how well the team is with the presence of overseas players, the India all-rounder said, "They (overseas players) play as a team. They don't make us feel that we are different from them. We all enjoy a lot. I'm learning a lot from them."

"I talk to Sophie (Ecclestone) and Suzie (Bates) more. I ask them about their bowling, fitness, what all drills they do. I asked Sophie how to turn the ball and she explained me well," Deepti added.