Shafali Verma, Sehwag, Ashwani Kumar
Shafali Verma (Credits: BCCI)

Once again, the young 16-year old Shafali Verma showed her class with the bat in the ongoing ICC Women’S T20 World Cup in Australia. The flamboyant batter knocked runs with ease against Bangladesh in India’s second encounter of the tournament. Speaking of the same, the experienced campaigner Shikha Pandey revealed that Shafali got the license to play an aggressive brand of cricket.

On Monday in Perth against Bangladesh, Shafali, facing only her second ball, hit Bangladesh’ experienced bowler Jahanara Alam for a six over extra cover. In the next over, she showed the same disdain for off-spinner Salma Khatun. She was hit over mid-wicket for a six.

Shikha Pandey, Shafali Verma
Shafali Verma(Credits: BCCI)

 

The 16-year-old Verma smashed a 17-ball 39, including four sixes, to steer India to 142 to six before her bowling colleagues restricted Bangladesh to 124 for eight in their 20 overs, to win the match by 18 runs.

It’s amazing to see Shafali Verma – Shikha Pandey

Speaking of the youngster, Shikha stated that Shafali is playing an amazing cricket and no one in the team management wants her to change anything in her approach to the game with the bat.

Shafali Verma
Shafali Verma. Photo Credit: ICC.

The all-rounder expressed her hope in watching Shafali doing great things for the country in times to come.

“We have not asked her (Verma) to change anything. She has been given free licence to play her fearless brand of cricket,” Pandey said.

“She is amazing. At 16, I hadn’t even started training to become a cricketer. I’m very pleased to have such young fearless players in our team. It’s amazing to see them doing what they did for us,” Pandey added.

The fast-bowler further reiterated that they knew they had put up a good total on board only to back themselves in Perth.

“There’s no baggage, that’s the biggest thing, and they express themselves so well in the team,” the 30-year-old further said.

“We thought we had a great score on the board to defend today because we believe in our bowling department. We knew it would be a tough target for them to reach,” Pandey maintained.

All in all, it was a fine victory for India against Bangladesh, which inched them closer to the next level of the tournament. They will next be in the action when the team lock horns with New Zealand Women.

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