India’s Vaishnavi Sharma delivered an extraordinary performance in her debut at the U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, taking five wickets for just five runs in her four-over spell against Malaysia. Playing at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur, Vaishnavi’s standout moment came in the 14th over when she claimed a hat-trick. She dismissed Nur Ain Binti Roslan, Nur Isma Dania, and Siti Nazwah to complete the feat.
Earlier, she had also sent Nur Dania Syuhada and Nuriman Hidayah back to the pavilion, helping India restrict Malaysia to a mere 31 runs in under 15 overs. Vaishnavi’s effort was complemented by Aayushi Shukla, who bagged three wickets. Despite India conceding 10 wides, Malaysia’s batting lineup struggled to withstand India’s disciplined bowling.
India Chase Target in Record Time
India’s openers, Gongadi Trisha and G Kamalini, ensured the chase was over in no time. Trisha scored an unbeaten 27, while Kamalini added 4 runs to wrap up the match in just three overs. The chase became the second-fastest in U19 Women’s T20 World Cup history.
This victory propelled India to the top of Group A with four points and an impressive net run rate of 9.1, surpassing Sri Lanka’s 5.5. The match lasted less than 18 overs, showcasing India’s dominance in both batting and bowling.
A Dream Debut for Vaishnavi Sharma
After her stellar debut, Vaishnavi expressed her excitement about achieving a hat-trick and a five-wicket haul in her first outing. “This was a dream debut,” she shared, adding that her journey in cricket has had its challenges. She credited her success to inspiration from players like Radha Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja and revealed that she had visualized her performance the night before.
Vaishnavi’s achievement follows Madison Landsman of South Africa, who took the first-ever hat-trick in the tournament’s history during the 2023 edition. India now looks forward to facing Sri Lanka on January 23, aiming for a third consecutive win in the group stage.
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