England host India for a bilateral series starting on June 28.
Indian opener Shafali Verma hasn’t been amongst the runs in the recent past. After being dropped from the team, Shafali has now made a comeback for the T20I series against England, starting June 28. Six years ago, the 21-year-old broke Sachin Tendulkar’s record, becoming the youngest Indian to score a half-century in international cricket. The Delhi Capitals star has consistently impressed stakeholders in the game on multiple occasions. She recently led the women’s Under-19 team to their maiden World Cup title.
India’s dashing opener has scored 2045 runs in 85 matches in the shortest format of the game, with a highest score of 81. On English soil, he has racked up 220 runs in 11 appearances, averaging 20. Shafali is the youngest woman to score 1000 T20I runs. In the Women’s Premier League (WPL) edition of 2023, she played with a strike rate of 168.46, which was the highest amongst all batters in her team.
While she was away from the game, the explosive opener had a chance to reflect on and improve some parts of her game that were letting her down. In an interview, Shafali spoke about overcoming her weaknesses and working on developing her strengths as a batter. She also stressed respecting good bowlers and taking calculated risks, something she wasn’t known for doing in the past.
“At the start, I was carefree and hit every ball I faced. I enjoyed dominating the bowlers, going for big shots. I have matured as a cricketer and value my wicket more. I want to contribute to every game so that my team benefits. I won’t say my style has changed much, but yes, I will be defensive too, and give respect to good bowlers. England has good bowlers like Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone. So, I won’t just throw my wicket. In a sport, there will be ups and downs. I, too, have faced failures and disappointments, but I have learnt from them. Hard work and passion to play for India have kept me going”, Shafali said.
The youngster also spoke about the development of players due to leagues like the WPL. She credited her franchise captain, Meg Landing, expressing that the latter played a huge role in making her a better cricketer. It would be of great importance for Shafali to replicate what experienced players have done for the game, to strive for excellence.
The Delhi Capitals opener spent a few days at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to hone her skills. Working with the trainers and coaches provided her with an excellent opportunity to develop her game. She expressed happiness in being back with her teammates and getting into the groove ahead of the England series.
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Getting to represent the country is a dream come true for the Indian opener. She revisited some aspects that were troubling her and got a chance to work towards the same. When asked about the upcoming ICC Women’s ODI World Cup in India & Sri Lanka, Shafali had high hopes of India doing well.
“It is a matter of pride that India is hosting. I’m sure India will do well and make use of the home advantage. At the moment, my job is to do well in the T20Is in England. I hope to leave an impression, and then it is left to the selectors. Getting to represent your country is a dream come true. I have fought through disappointments and turned them [opportunities] into rewards with hard work. I now look forward to playing big knocks for India and showing my positive intent”, she concluded.
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