All-rounder Deepti Sharma had an extraordinary outing in India’s first T20I against South Africa in Surat on Tuesday. She ended with figures of 4/8 with three of the four overs to lead India to victory. If that was not enough she bowled three maidens and made her way into the record books. This is the first time that an Indian has bowled as many maidens in a T20I match.

Deepti gave away runs only off the 19th ball that she bowled in the match. Two of these overs were wicket maidens with Deepti taking two on the trot in the 9th over and a wicket in the 14th.

The Agra girl’s spell helped India defend a target of 131.

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored 43 for the hosts as they batted first. Although Mignon Du Preez scored a half century, South Africa could never get their chase going.

Apart from Deepti’s three-wicket haul, Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav and Radha Yadav got two wickets each while Harmanpreet got one.

‘I was nervous at the halfway stage but we knew that we’d have something for the bowlers. They did a great job,’ Harmanpreet said after the match.

‘We bowled how I had planned. Got help from the wicket too. The plan was to bowl wicket to wicket and it was turning, so I pitched it up too,’ she said.