India Women's teen batting sensation Shafali Verma has produced yet another explosive innings to set up a comfortable 18 runs win for the side against Bangladesh Women in the ICC Women's T20 Cricket World Cup 2020 match in Perth on Monday (February 24).
In the absence of India’s experienced batter Smriti Mandhana, Shafali brilliantly took the responsibility and played a blistering knock of 17-ball 39, including four sixes and two fours, to steer India to the highest total of the competition so far with 142/6 at WACA.
And then Women in Blue returned to restrict Bangladesh to 124-8 in Perth to register their second win in the tournament, as Poonam Yadav, the hero in India’s tournament opener victory with four wickets against Australia, has once again impressed one and all with her brilliant bowling, taking 3 wickets to help India to secure their second successive win in the showpiece event.
Following the victory, Shafali was adjudged Player of the Match for her quick knock and the right-hander became the youngest player to receive the award at the age of 16 and 27 days.
Elated to play a key role in India’s victory over Bangladesh, Shafali said she wanted to take the responsibility of the team in the absence of Mandhana, who missed the last match due to illness and she wants to continue winning matches for India and T20 World Cup 2020 as well.
Shafali said after the match, “Since Mandhana wasn't around; I wanted to take the responsibility to stay around and give India a good start. I've been practicing hitting the ball hard.”
She signed off by saying, “I would like to bring the team more success in the future. I'd like to continue doing this, help India win matches, and ultimately win us the World Cup.”
Noteworthy, India is hoping that Mandhana will be fit for their next T20 World Cup 2020 match against New Zealand on Thursday (February 27) at Junction Oval in Melbourne.
(With India Today Inputs)
