Shafali Verma scored 39 in just 17 balls. (Source: Twitter/BCCIWomen)
Shafali Verma’s 17-ball 39 helped India get off to a great start in their second World T20 encounter against Bangladesh in Perth on Monday. Batting at a strike-rate of over 200, the 16-year-old struck four sixes and two boundaries, before falling to Bangladesh’s Panna Ghosh.
Her destructive show with the bat fetched the 16-year-old plaudits from several cricket fans and former England skipper Nasser Hussain. Some even compared the teenage cricketer with former India opener Virender Sehwag, who also carried a similar stature in terms of smashing the ball all over the park.
Here are a few tweets:
This girl can seriously play ! #shafali
— Nasser Hussain (@nassercricket) February 24, 2020
Shafali Verma’s explosive knock of 39(17) has given #TeamIndia a flying start. ?? #T20WorldCup #INDvBAN#TeamIndia – 68/2 at the end of 8 overs
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) February 24, 2020
Get to a TV quick and watch this 16 year old. Shafali Verma ????????
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) February 24, 2020
Watching Shafali Verma is like watching @virendersehwag. Absolutely no fear at all ??#ICCT20WorldCup #INDvBAN
— Kartikeya Raaj Singh (@krs_19) February 24, 2020
Great cameo from Shafali Verma.
This 16-year old is really somethknf else. ????#T20WorldCup #INDvBAN
— CricBlog (@cric_blog) February 24, 2020
If I aged like Benjamin Button, I’d wish to be Shafali Verma when I grow up!
What a fearless striker. Incredible power. And she’s such a quick learner.
Dear NZ, bring on the short ball!#T20WorldCup
— Ananya Upendran (@a_upendran11) February 24, 2020
#ShafaliVerma is some batswoman. She has all the shots in the book and more and reminds me of a certain Virendra Sehwag. And for a 16 year old she is really mature.
— Pranav Joshi (@Pranavjoshi7654) February 24, 2020
. 6 . 6 . 1 6 4 2 . 4 1 2 1 6 . W
Box office.
— T20 World Cup (@T20WorldCup) February 24, 2020
Shafali is in good touch and it was reflected in the tournament opener against Australia on Friday. In the first match, the cricketer scored 29 in just 15 balls, which included five boundaries and one six.