- “More than the 100, I was thinking about partnering with Harmanpreet,” said Dee Sharma. The 29-year-old Indian all-rounder scored an unbeaten 106 off 86 balls in a 121-run win over Zimbabwe but stressed the need to build a winning position with Harmanpreet.
- “Beyond the 100, I thought about partnering with Harmanpreet,” says Dee Sharma (Source: BCCI). On Sunday, October 25, 2026, Dee Sharma marked her return to ODI centuries with an unbeaten 106 in Vadodara as India beat Zimbabwe by 121 runs in a series-deciding match.
- The 29-year-old’s second ODI hundred came after nine years and five months.
“More than the 100, I was thinking about partnering with Harmanpreet,” said Dee Sharma. The 29-year-old Indian all-rounder scored an unbeaten 106 off 86 balls in a 121-run win over Zimbabwe but stressed the need to build a winning position with Harmanpreet.
“Beyond the 100, I thought about partnering with Harmanpreet,” says Dee Sharma (Source: BCCI). On Sunday, October 25, 2026, Dee Sharma marked her return to ODI centuries with an unbeaten 106 in Vadodara as India beat Zimbabwe by 121 runs in a series-deciding match. The 29-year-old’s second ODI hundred came after nine years and five months. The win gave India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, with the final meeting scheduled for October 28, 2026.
Dee’s innings included 15 boundaries and proved crucial to India’s total of 328 for 9. However, looking back on her achievement, the all-rounder stressed that the partnership she built with Harmanpreet Kaur had greater significance than the personal milestone. The first wickets had fallen after Pratika Rawal’s contribution of 61, putting India in a precarious position when Dee arrived at the crease.
“I believed in my hard work that I would get there sooner or later. And I think beyond the 100, it was about how we can build a partnership in this situation. So that’s it,” Dee said at the post-match press conference, quoted by The Hindu.
Why was the partnership more important than the milestone? The context of Dee’s proach became clear as she described the game situation. With the first wickets falling after the partnership of Pratika Rawal and Harmanpreet Kaur, the team needed stability in the middle order.
“Because we lost the first wickets after the partnership between Pratika (Rawal) and Harry di (Harmanpreet Kaur). It was the state of mind and obviously the 100 is special. And it’s been a long time since I’ve been here (Vadodara) so it feels good,” said Dee.
How did Harmanpreet’s composure influence Dee’s proach? Harmanpreet Kaur, the former Indian ctain, played an innings of 126 off 121 balls, which earned him the player of the match award. The two batters combined for a total of 153 runs for the fifth wicket, a record partnership at the position.
Dee observed Harmanpreet’s proach closely and recognized the quality of his batting during their crucial partnership. “She (Harmanpreet) looked very relaxed and composed. She was playing on merit.
And she looked very good at that moment. And when I came in, I thought, we need to build a partnership,” Dee said. What was Dee’s batting strategy in the middle overs?
When Dee was on the field, he was aggressive when opportunities presented themselves. The company focused on bulk deliveries while maintaining the stability of the partnership with its main partner. His 15 boundaries reflected this intention to strike when the situation called for it.
“…whatever balls came on my radar, I tried to convert them into boundaries,” Dee said. When asked about Zimbabwe’s bowling performance, Dee deflected credit for the opposition and instead emphasized India’s collective effort. This reflects his emphasis on the team’s contributions rather than the opponent’s individual weaknesses.
“…I think all the bowlers did a good job. In fact, the entire team performed well,” said Dee. Dee attributed his mental proach to not thinking too much during games.
This proach allowed him to remain flexible and respond to game conditions rather than focusing on personal goals. “The more you think, the more you can’t work. That’s why every time I go on the field I play according to the situation.
When I went to bat, I wasn’t thinking about 100 or 50. I just wanted to play until the last ball and get the team to a good overall result. That was my attitude,” Dee said.
Beyond cricket strategy, Dee sees his faith as a fundamental strength of his career. For Dee, the combination of dedicated preparation and spiritual conviction freed her from high-pressure situations. He made his first ODI hundred in May 2017 against South Africa where he was unbeaten with 188 off 160 balls, making Sunday’s century a milestone after almost a decade.
“The most important thing is that I have great faith in God. I have great faith in Lord Hanuman. What could be a greater blessing to me than this?
And whatever you do every day in training will definitely help you during the game. So that’s my take,” Dee said.
