The inaugural edition of the U19 T20 Women’s World Cup got underway on Saturday, January 14 in South Africa. Team India took on the hosts to kick off their campaign in the tournament. Skipper Shafali Verma’s batting brilliance was on display during the game at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.
Chasing 167 runs, Team India got off to an outstanding start, with Shafali Verma and Shweta Sehrawat opening the innings. The skipper took the charge to the opposition right from the first over. The duo put on 70 runs in the powerplay, as Shafali Verma slammed the South African bowlers all over the park. In the sixth over, she accumulated 26 runs off Ntabiseng’s Nini’s bowling.
4️⃣4️⃣4️⃣4️⃣4️⃣6️⃣ 🔥🔥
Skipper @TheShafaliVerma scores 26 runs in the sixth over as #TeamIndia move to 70/0 after 6 overs.
Solid start in the chase for #TeamIndia 🙌
Follow the match👉https://t.co/sA6ECj9P1O…#TeamIndia | #U19T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/LAATIxQjPc
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) January 14, 2023
Shafali Verma started off the over with a boundary. Continuing the onslaught, she slammed four consecutive boundaries in the next four deliveries. Ending the over with a six, the Indian skipper got India to a good total at the end of the powerplay. She was dismissed in the eighth over by Miane Smit for 45 runs off 16 deliveries. Her innings included nine boundaries and a six and came at a strike rate of 281.25.
Let’s take a look at how fans reacted to Shafali Verma’s blistering knock:
Shafali Verma played an innings of her life. 45 off just 16 balls in a 160+ run chase is simply brilliant. India’s game from here. South Africa will have to bowl out of their skins to restrict India from chasing that down #IndvsSA
— Conjectural Truth (@sarkarstix) January 14, 2023
4 4 4 4 4 6 – 26 in the 6th over.
Sublime batting from Shafali Verma. She's gone berserk. 44* off 13 balls. India are 70/0 in the PP. #U19T20WorldCup #SAvIND— Jigar Mehta (@jigsactin) January 14, 2023
Shafali Verma is on fire 🔥🔥🔥
She hit 5 fours & a six in an over, 26 runs off last over. 🤩#INDvSA #U19T20WorldCup
— Vipul Ghatol 🇮🇳 (@Vipul_Espeaks) January 14, 2023
26 runs for Shafali Verma in the last over of the PP. Batting on 44 off 13. This is too easy for her.
— Faiz Fazel (@theFaizFazel) January 14, 2023
5 fours and a sixxx..!! Shafali Verma you queen.!! She is on fireeee.!! ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥 26 runs from that over..!!
She is on 44(13), I mean pure class..!! 🔥🔥🔥#U19T20WorldCup— Archie (@ArchieMalik5) January 14, 2023
Shafali Verma.
4,4,4,4,4,6Routine kind of over only for this one. #CricketTwitter #U19WorldCup
— Krithika (@krithika0808) January 14, 2023
4️⃣, 4️⃣, 4️⃣, 4️⃣, 4️⃣, 6️⃣
Shafali Verma smashes 26 runs in one over. Class.#U19T20WorldCup #SAvINDhttps://t.co/AcjwSMm9ar pic.twitter.com/ebXNsv2tMG
— Aditya Chaturvedi (@aditya_c19) January 14, 2023
Shafali Verma the Super Star, what hitting, she is just putting everything to boundary#U19T20WorldCup #INDvSA
— Vaishali Bhutda (@Iam_Vaishali) January 14, 2023
Shafali Verma playing football in cricket field.#U19T20WorldCup #ShafaliVerma
— Love for Cricket 🏏 (@cricketislove76) January 14, 2023
India kicks off U19 Women’s world cup with a win
Team India defeated South Africa by seven wickets in their opening clash of the U19 World Cup on Saturday, January 14 at Willowmoore Park in Benoni. They chased down 167 runs comfortably on the back of Shweta Sehrawat’s unbeaten 92 runs. The opener slammed twenty boundaries during the innings.
Earlier in the match, Shafali Verma took two wickets in four overs, at an economy rate of 7.8. Her knock while opening the innings set the tone for the chase. Sonam Yadav and Parshavi Chopra took a wicket each in the match. Team India will take on UAE next on Monday, January 16 at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.
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