Follow UsShafali Verma wasn’t even part of the reserves for the Indian team going into this World Cup, but after joining the side just before the semifinal, she is now proving to be India’s best player in the historic final against South Africa.
After scoring 87 off just 78 in the first innings, Shafali came on to bowl as an inspired move from skipper Harmanpreet Kaur in the 21st over and got a wicket on just the second ball of her spell as she caught and bowled Sune Luus and brought a halt to South Africa’s canter until then as the score read 114/2 in 20.2 overs. She bowled slow into the pitch and bowled a delivery that didn’t turn into Luus, who was anticipating it to do exactly that, and that’s what induced the false shot.
Things went even more dramatically in her next over, as she got Marizanne Kapp, a really important wicket in the context of the game, caught down the leg side by Richa Ghosh, who showed a lot of nimble feet movement to pocket that sharp chance.
With that, Shafali attained both her best WODI score with the bat and figures with the ball in the same game which happened to be a World Cup final. South Africa slowed down as a result of those two wickets and allowed India to control the game.