Before the start of the T20 World Cup , if you were asked to predict India’s most consistent match-winner, most would have named one of two...
Before the start of the T20 World Cup, if you were asked to predict India’s most consistent match-winner, most would have named one of two veteran batters in the squad – Smriti Mandhana or Harmanpreet Kaur – and not rookie Shafali Verma.
The 16-year-old opener, who has impressed everyone with her clean ball-striking, was expected to be an impactful game-changer. But it would have been pretty ambitious to say the big-hitting bat would outperform the more steady players. You expected aggression and quick-fire knocks from her, not stability or leadership.
But in a happy turn of events, Verma has married the two, and become the breakout star of this World Cup. The youngster from Rohtak turned 16 during the tri-series at the end of January, but Australia has seen the growth of the opener that has gone beyond just age.
The teenager is leading the batting charts for her country and her contributions have been vital in India becoming the first semi-finalists. In the last four matches, if there is one player who has contributed in every match to ensure India’s unbeaten streak, it is the youngest member of the team. At the top of the order, she has been the pulse that has held the misfiring batting order together.
Of course,...
