Self-belief and bowling changes helped overcome lean patch: Deepti Sharma India all-rounder Deepti Sharma’s breakout show against South Africa in the fourth T20I has provided a timely boost ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup, with the seasoned campaigner saying self-belief and tweaks to her bowling helped her snap a prolonged lean patch and return to form at the right time.Deepti had endured a prolonged lean run with both bat and ball since the T20I series in Australia in February, managing just one double-digit score in nine matches across formats before her unbeaten 36 and match-winning five-for in India’s 14-run win over South Africa on Saturday — a timely return to form that eased selection concerns ahead of the T20 World Cup in England and Wales in June.ALSO READ | Match report: Maiden T20I fifer for Deepti Sharma as India manages 14-run win over South AfricaEven though the host had already sealed the series 3-1 with one game to spare, Deepti, a vital cog in India’s maiden ODI World Cup-winning campaign, said unwavering self-belief through a prolonged slump helped her fight her way out of the hole.“First is, I always keep believing in myself and second is line and length, which line I have to bowl. And basically today, I was more focused on my offspin ball other than the little faster one,” said the spin-bowling all-rounder after her sterling show on Saturday.She said that approach gave her confidence, while adding the dew made it tricky for bowlers to judge their pace, but discussions within the bowling group helped them make the right adjustments.“Yeah, because it was a little dewish over here. So, we just had a conversation with the bowlers as well. Just bowl in the right areas and that will give you results,” added Deepti, who had gone wicketless in the previous three T20Is here and managed just two runs, a lean run that had also contributed to India’s heavy defeats.On the batting front, Deepti said she and Richa Ghosh (34 not out) had decided to preserve their wickets and bat deep, a plan that helped India post a competitive 185 for five through an unbroken 65-run stand.Deepti then capped the effort with a stellar bowling spell as India restricted the Proteas to 171 for nine in the chase.“I think Richa batted well. She finished well. And we were just talking that we have to play till the 20th over and make sure we will have a good partnership. And then we finished well. So, we’re calculating each and every over and that’s how we played there,” added the 28-year-old Deepti.She added that despite the series defeat, India would carry plenty of learnings into the T20 World Cup, along with renewed self-belief drawn from the way the team responded.“I think a lot of positive from this series. And especially today’s game gave us a lot of confidence going forward and future games as well. Whenever we play, we play as a team, as a bowling unit or as a batting unit. Same belief we have to keep going forward as well,” she said.“I think, as a bowling unit and as a batting unit, both played really well (on Saturday).So, we will see then how we will do it (in the final game) and definitely will finish well as well,” concluded Deepti.Published on Apr 26, 2026 #Selfbelief #bowling #helped #overcome #lean #patch #Deepti #Sharma

Self-belief and bowling changes helped overcome lean patch: Deepti Sharma
India all-rounder Deepti Sharma’s breakout show against South Africa in the fourth T20I has provided a timely boost ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup, with the seasoned campaigner saying self-belief and tweaks to her bowling helped her snap a prolonged lean patch and return to form at the right time.
Deepti had endured a prolonged lean run with both bat and ball since the T20I series in Australia in February, managing just one double-digit score in nine matches across formats before her unbeaten 36 and match-winning five-for in India’s 14-run win over South Africa on Saturday — a timely return to form that eased selection concerns ahead of the T20 World Cup in England and Wales in June.
ALSO READ | Match report: Maiden T20I fifer for Deepti Sharma as India manages 14-run win over South Africa
Even though the host had already sealed the series 3-1 with one game to spare, Deepti, a vital cog in India’s maiden ODI World Cup-winning campaign, said unwavering self-belief through a prolonged slump helped her fight her way out of the hole.
“First is, I always keep believing in myself and second is line and length, which line I have to bowl. And basically today, I was more focused on my offspin ball other than the little faster one,” said the spin-bowling all-rounder after her sterling show on Saturday.
She said that approach gave her confidence, while adding the dew made it tricky for bowlers to judge their pace, but discussions within the bowling group helped them make the right adjustments.
“Yeah, because it was a little dewish over here. So, we just had a conversation with the bowlers as well. Just bowl in the right areas and that will give you results,” added Deepti, who had gone wicketless in the previous three T20Is here and managed just two runs, a lean run that had also contributed to India’s heavy defeats.
On the batting front, Deepti said she and Richa Ghosh (34 not out) had decided to preserve their wickets and bat deep, a plan that helped India post a competitive 185 for five through an unbroken 65-run stand.
Deepti then capped the effort with a stellar bowling spell as India restricted the Proteas to 171 for nine in the chase.
“I think Richa batted well. She finished well. And we were just talking that we have to play till the 20th over and make sure we will have a good partnership. And then we finished well. So, we’re calculating each and every over and that’s how we played there,” added the 28-year-old Deepti.
She added that despite the series defeat, India would carry plenty of learnings into the T20 World Cup, along with renewed self-belief drawn from the way the team responded.
“I think a lot of positive from this series. And especially today’s game gave us a lot of confidence going forward and future games as well. Whenever we play, we play as a team, as a bowling unit or as a batting unit. Same belief we have to keep going forward as well,” she said.
“I think, as a bowling unit and as a batting unit, both played really well (on Saturday).So, we will see then how we will do it (in the final game) and definitely will finish well as well,” concluded Deepti.
Published on Apr 26, 2026
#Selfbelief #bowling #helped #overcome #lean #patch #Deepti #Sharma

India all-rounder Deepti Sharma’s breakout show against South Africa in the fourth T20I has provided a timely boost ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup, with the seasoned campaigner saying self-belief and tweaks to her bowling helped her snap a prolonged lean patch and return to form at the right time.

Deepti had endured a prolonged lean run with both bat and ball since the T20I series in Australia in February, managing just one double-digit score in nine matches across formats before her unbeaten 36 and match-winning five-for in India’s 14-run win over South Africa on Saturday — a timely return to form that eased selection concerns ahead of the T20 World Cup in England and Wales in June.

ALSO READ | Match report: Maiden T20I fifer for Deepti Sharma as India manages 14-run win over South Africa

Even though the host had already sealed the series 3-1 with one game to spare, Deepti, a vital cog in India’s maiden ODI World Cup-winning campaign, said unwavering self-belief through a prolonged slump helped her fight her way out of the hole.

“First is, I always keep believing in myself and second is line and length, which line I have to bowl. And basically today, I was more focused on my offspin ball other than the little faster one,” said the spin-bowling all-rounder after her sterling show on Saturday.

She said that approach gave her confidence, while adding the dew made it tricky for bowlers to judge their pace, but discussions within the bowling group helped them make the right adjustments.

“Yeah, because it was a little dewish over here. So, we just had a conversation with the bowlers as well. Just bowl in the right areas and that will give you results,” added Deepti, who had gone wicketless in the previous three T20Is here and managed just two runs, a lean run that had also contributed to India’s heavy defeats.

On the batting front, Deepti said she and Richa Ghosh (34 not out) had decided to preserve their wickets and bat deep, a plan that helped India post a competitive 185 for five through an unbroken 65-run stand.

Deepti then capped the effort with a stellar bowling spell as India restricted the Proteas to 171 for nine in the chase.

“I think Richa batted well. She finished well. And we were just talking that we have to play till the 20th over and make sure we will have a good partnership. And then we finished well. So, we’re calculating each and every over and that’s how we played there,” added the 28-year-old Deepti.

She added that despite the series defeat, India would carry plenty of learnings into the T20 World Cup, along with renewed self-belief drawn from the way the team responded.

“I think a lot of positive from this series. And especially today’s game gave us a lot of confidence going forward and future games as well. Whenever we play, we play as a team, as a bowling unit or as a batting unit. Same belief we have to keep going forward as well,” she said.

“I think, as a bowling unit and as a batting unit, both played really well (on Saturday).So, we will see then how we will do it (in the final game) and definitely will finish well as well,” concluded Deepti.

Published on Apr 26, 2026

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#Selfbelief #bowling #helped #overcome #lean #patch #Deepti #Sharma

Tag Deepti Sharma 5 wicket haul Deepti Sharma all-round performance Deepti Sharma explains bowling changes after lean patch Deepti Sharma five-wicket haul and unbeaten batting innings Deepti Sharma India vs South Africa T20I Deepti Sharma match-winning performance against South Africa 4th T20I Deepti Sharma T20I performance India women beat South Africa by 14 runs T20I report India women cricket confidence boost before World Cup England Wales India women cricket team momentum ahead of T20 World Cup 2026 India Women vs South Africa 4th T20I India women vs South Africa T20I series analysis and takeaways Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma partnership 65 runs Women’s T20 World Cup India preparation

The Spice Must Flow, Part 3

आंख स्कैन करने के बाद ही दिया प्रवेश, MPPSC की राज्य सेवा प्रारंभिक परीक्षा में गजब की सख्ती | Strict Measures Implemented In Burhanpur For The Mppsc Preliminary Examination

Miami football isn’t back yet, but it’s close

Plenty of discussion last winter was reserved for dissecting if the Miami Hurricanes were, in fact, back. For as the much of The U being back has been a topic, predating the 2025 Hurricanes’ run to the National Championship Game, what being back actually means can have vastly different definitions.

Surely, had Miami knocked off an unbeaten Indiana — and the Hurricanes came a Jamari Sharpe interception away from doing just that — it would have constituted The U being back. Right?

Well…

Miami’s run to the finale of last season’s College Football Playoff was remarkable; so, too, was it taking Indiana to the wire in a 27-21 classic, with the Hurricanes playing the Hoosiers closer than most of the national champions’ competition in the 2025 campaign.

That run was also unprecedented in the history of college football. Of course, there have been only two instances in which a team like Miami, which went 10-2 in the regular season and missed its own conference championship game, could win a national championship in such fashion.

The 2025 Hurricanes capitalized on the opportunities afforded them by a much different landscape than that which existed during the program’s roughly 20-year heyday, and that’s commendable. But it’s not comparable to that heyday, unofficially spanning from 1983 when the late legend Howard Schnellenberger coached The U to its first championship and ending on Ohio State’s improbable win in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.

Incredibly, as we head into the silver anniversary of Miami’s last national championship, it’s been almost as long since a Hurricanes team won a conference title. That came in 2003, the program’s final season in the Big East, when The U shared the crown with West Virginia (albeit having survived a 22-20 struggle with the Mountaineers in the head-to-head matchup).

For context, Miami’s conference championship drought is going on five years longer than the span between its first national championship and last.

As a program-first ACC title continued to elude Miami, with losses to Louisville and SMU instead landing Virginia and Duke in Charlotte, the Hurricanes’ 2025 postseason run isn’t in the same category as the 2001 title won in dominant fashion by arguably the most talented collegiate roster ever assembled.

It’s not the 1987 or 1991 crowns when Miami ran the table, nor is it 1983 and 1989 when the Hurricanes rallied from regular-season losses to in-state rivals to finish on top. But 2025 could be the foundation on which Miami is back.

Although none of the 2026 Hurricanes when Miami was Miami, the mystique never faded. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr., Offensive MVP of last year’s Cotton Bowl, offered commentary on Adam Breneman’s “Next Up” podcast to this end:

“’Ive seen how great Miami was, seen the great players that they’ve had, and I could help Miami at least a little closer to that, and I’ve got one more year to do it,” Fletcher said. “I would love to do that.”

Fletcher and wide receiver Malachi Toney, both products of South Florida (Fort Lauderdale and Miami’s Liberty City), provide the 2026 Hurricanes with one of the nation’s most potent skill-position combos. And while Miami has no ACC championship experience, its quarterback does.

Adding ACC Championship Game MVP and the conference’s passing yards leader a season ago, Darian Mensah, sets up the Hurricane offense nicely. A key transfer likewise provides the pillar for Miami’s 2026 title outlook on defense, with Damon Wilson II coming to Coral Gables off of a nine-sack season at Missouri.

There’s plenty to like about Miami’s chances of returning to past glory in 2026 — and doing so in a fashion that unambiguously declares the Hurricanes as being back by any definition.

#Miami #Football #Poised #Return #College #Footballs #Elite #Deadspin.com">

Why Miami Football Is Poised to Return to College Football’s Elite | Deadspin.com Miami football isn’t back yet, but it’s closePlenty of discussion last winter was reserved for dissecting if the Miami Hurricanes were, in fact, back. For as the much of The U being back has been a topic, predating the 2025 Hurricanes’ run to the National Championship Game, what being back actually means can have vastly different definitions.Surely, had Miami knocked off an unbeaten Indiana — and the Hurricanes came a Jamari Sharpe interception away from doing just that — it would have constituted The U being back. Right?Well…Miami’s run to the finale of last season’s College Football Playoff was remarkable; so, too, was it taking Indiana to the wire in a 27-21 classic, with the Hurricanes playing the Hoosiers closer than most of the national champions’ competition in the 2025 campaign.That run was also unprecedented in the history of college football. Of course, there have been only two instances in which a team like Miami, which went 10-2 in the regular season and missed its own conference championship game, could win a national championship in such fashion.The 2025 Hurricanes capitalized on the opportunities afforded them by a much different landscape than that which existed during the program’s roughly 20-year heyday, and that’s commendable. But it’s not comparable to that heyday, unofficially spanning from 1983 when the late legend Howard Schnellenberger coached The U to its first championship and ending on Ohio State’s improbable win in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.Incredibly, as we head into the silver anniversary of Miami’s last national championship, it’s been almost as long since a Hurricanes team won a conference title. That came in 2003, the program’s final season in the Big East, when The U shared the crown with West Virginia (albeit having survived a 22-20 struggle with the Mountaineers in the head-to-head matchup).For context, Miami’s conference championship drought is going on five years longer than the span between its first national championship and last.As a program-first ACC title continued to elude Miami, with losses to Louisville and SMU instead landing Virginia and Duke in Charlotte, the Hurricanes’ 2025 postseason run isn’t in the same category as the 2001 title won in dominant fashion by arguably the most talented collegiate roster ever assembled.It’s not the 1987 or 1991 crowns when Miami ran the table, nor is it 1983 and 1989 when the Hurricanes rallied from regular-season losses to in-state rivals to finish on top. But 2025 could be the foundation on which Miami is back.Although none of the 2026 Hurricanes when Miami was Miami, the mystique never faded. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr., Offensive MVP of last year’s Cotton Bowl, offered commentary on Adam Breneman’s “Next Up” podcast to this end:“’Ive seen how great Miami was, seen the great players that they’ve had, and I could help Miami at least a little closer to that, and I’ve got one more year to do it,” Fletcher said. “I would love to do that.”Fletcher and wide receiver Malachi Toney, both products of South Florida (Fort Lauderdale and Miami’s Liberty City), provide the 2026 Hurricanes with one of the nation’s most potent skill-position combos. And while Miami has no ACC championship experience, its quarterback does.Adding ACC Championship Game MVP and the conference’s passing yards leader a season ago, Darian Mensah, sets up the Hurricane offense nicely. A key transfer likewise provides the pillar for Miami’s 2026 title outlook on defense, with Damon Wilson II coming to Coral Gables off of a nine-sack season at Missouri.There’s plenty to like about Miami’s chances of returning to past glory in 2026 — and doing so in a fashion that unambiguously declares the Hurricanes as being back by any definition. #Miami #Football #Poised #Return #College #Footballs #Elite #Deadspin.com

mwasimuddin125 0

Miami football isn’t back yet, but it’s close
Plenty of discussion last winter was reserved for dissecting if the Miami Hurricanes were, in fact, back. For as the much of The U being back has been a topic, predating the 2025 Hurricanes’ run to the National Championship Game, what being back actually means can have vastly different definitions.
Surely, had Miami knocked off an unbeaten Indiana — and the Hurricanes came a Jamari Sharpe interception away from doing just that — it would have constituted The U being back. Right?
Well…
Miami’s run to the finale of last season’s College Football Playoff was remarkable; so, too, was it taking Indiana to the wire in a 27-21 classic, with the Hurricanes playing the Hoosiers closer than most of the national champions’ competition in the 2025 campaign.
That run was also unprecedented in the history of college football. Of course, there have been only two instances in which a team like Miami, which went 10-2 in the regular season and missed its own conference championship game, could win a national championship in such fashion.
The 2025 Hurricanes capitalized on the opportunities afforded them by a much different landscape than that which existed during the program’s roughly 20-year heyday, and that’s commendable. But it’s not comparable to that heyday, unofficially spanning from 1983 when the late legend Howard Schnellenberger coached The U to its first championship and ending on Ohio State’s improbable win in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl.
Incredibly, as we head into the silver anniversary of Miami’s last national championship, it’s been almost as long since a Hurricanes team won a conference title. That came in 2003, the program’s final season in the Big East, when The U shared the crown with West Virginia (albeit having survived a 22-20 struggle with the Mountaineers in the head-to-head matchup).
For context, Miami’s conference championship drought is going on five years longer than the span between its first national championship and last.
As a program-first ACC title continued to elude Miami, with losses to Louisville and SMU instead landing Virginia and Duke in Charlotte, the Hurricanes’ 2025 postseason run isn’t in the same category as the 2001 title won in dominant fashion by arguably the most talented collegiate roster ever assembled.
It’s not the 1987 or 1991 crowns when Miami ran the table, nor is it 1983 and 1989 when the Hurricanes rallied from regular-season losses to in-state rivals to finish on top. But 2025 could be the foundation on which Miami is back.
Although none of the 2026 Hurricanes when Miami was Miami, the mystique never faded. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr., Offensive MVP of last year’s Cotton Bowl, offered commentary on Adam Breneman’s “Next Up” podcast to this end:
“’Ive seen how great Miami was, seen the great players that they’ve had, and I could help Miami at least a little closer to that, and I’ve got one more year to do it,” Fletcher said. “I would love to do that.”
Fletcher and wide receiver Malachi Toney, both products of South Florida (Fort Lauderdale and Miami’s Liberty City), provide the 2026 Hurricanes with one of the nation’s most potent skill-position combos. And while Miami has no ACC championship experience, its quarterback does.
Adding ACC Championship Game MVP and the conference’s passing yards leader a season ago, Darian Mensah, sets up the Hurricane offense nicely. A key transfer likewise provides the pillar for Miami’s 2026 title outlook on defense, with Damon Wilson II coming to Coral Gables off of a nine-sack season at Missouri.
There’s plenty to like about Miami’s chances of returning to past glory in 2026 — and doing so in a fashion that unambiguously declares the Hurricanes as being back by any definition.

#Miami #Football #Poised #Return #College #Footballs #Elite #Deadspin.com">Why Miami Football Is Poised to Return to College Football’s Elite | Deadspin.com

Miami football isn’t back yet, but it’s close

Surely, had Miami knocked off an unbeaten Indiana — and the Hurricanes came a Jamari Sharpe interception away from doing just that — it would have constituted The U being back. Right?

Well…

For context, Miami’s conference championship drought is going on five years longer than the span between its first national championship and last.

There’s plenty to like about Miami’s chances of returning to past glory in 2026 — and doing so in a fashion that unambiguously declares the Hurricanes as being back by any definition.

#Miami #Football #Poised #Return #College #Footballs #Elite #Deadspin.com