The Women’s Hundred: Deepti Sharma replaces Grace Harris in London Spirit

Deepti Sharma. (Source – Photo by Ben Hoskins – ECB/ECB via Getty Images

Indian all-rounder Deepti Sharma will be making her comeback in the forthcoming edition of The Hundred 2024 as she replaces the injured Grace Harris in the London Spirit side.

Deepti played for Spirit in the inaugural edition of the competition in 2021 and was an unused member of Birmingham Phoenix’s squad the following summer. The latest edition of The Hundred gets underway on Tuesday, July 23, as Oval Invincibles take on Birmingham Phoenix at the Kennington Oval in London. Meanwhile, Spirit will play their opening fixture on the following day against Southern Brave at The Rose Bowl in Southampton.

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Deepti will not be able to play the initial matches in the eight-team competition as she will be on national duty for India in the Asia Cup in Dambulla. She will be replaced by Erin Burns for the first two games, who is already in the UK playing for Northern Diamonds. The Bengal all-rounder is one of only three Indian players who will feature in the upcoming edition of the tournament along with Richa Ghosh (Birmingham Phoenix) and Smriti Mandhana (Southern Brave). Like Deepti, both players are part of India’s Asia Cup squad and will not be available in the first week of the tournament.

The ECB confirmed the latest tranche of replacement players on Thursday afternoon, with Sophie Molineux (Manchester Originals) joining Harris in withdrawing from the Hundred. While no specific reason was given for her withdrawal, Australia’s busy forthcoming schedule could have played a role.

Molineux has been replaced by Kim Garth, as Bethan Ellis will join her at the Originals after Mahika Gaur withdrew due to a side strain. Tash Farrant’s hamstring injury has sidelined her but the Oval Invincibles are yet to name her replacement, reported ESPNcricinfo.

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Last year, Southern Brave won the final by 34 runs after beating Northern Superchargers at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.