Shafali Verma Becomes The Youngest Indian Player To Score a Half-Century in International Cricket

After winning the ODI series against the Windies, the Indian women’s team started strongly in the shortest format as well. At the Gros Islet, opening batswoman Shafali Verma crunched a half-century to help India register a massive total against the hosts. In the process, Verma went on to become the youngest Indian cricketer to hit a half-century in an international fixture.

Verma, who is currently 15 years and 285 days, sits behind UAE’s K Edgodage to record a half-century in a T20 international match. K Edgodage was 15 years and 267 days when she achieved the landmark. The 15-year old prodigy also eclipsed Indian men’s team vice-captain Rohit Sharma to become the youngest Indian player to score a T20I fifty.

The explosive 15-year-old Shafali Verma scored her maiden half-century in the first T20I against West Indies Women today in St Lucia. Shafali is the youngest Indian ever to score an int'l fifty???? #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/O2MfVdNBOv

— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) November 10, 2019

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Asked to bat first by the Windies, the tourists set up a mammoth opening stand of 143 in a little more than 15 overs. The opening partnership of 143 went on to become the highest, surpassing the previous record of 130 created by Thirush Kamini and Punam Raut against Bangladesh in 2013.

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Player of the match Shafali Verma was eventually dismissed for 73 off 49 balls in the 15th over while her partner Smriti Mandhana lost her wicket in the next over for 67. Some late fireworks by Harmanpreet Kaur and Veda Krishnamurthy carried them to a stiff total of 185 for the loss of four wickets.

Among the Windies batswoman, Shemaine Campbelle was the only one to get a substantial score. The wicketkeeper batswoman got out in the 12th over to reduce her side to 78-5. From there on, it all became too easy for India as none of the other batters could get going. Finally, the hosts could manage only 101 for the loss of nine wickets in their full quota of overs.

Shikha Pandey, Radha Yadav and Poonam Yadav were mainly responsible for denting their hopes with two wickets each. Deepti Sharma and Pooja Vastrakar accounted for one scalp each to go with. With the win, India took the lead in the five-match series with the next match to be played at The Providence on Friday.