India’s Player of the Match in the World Cup final against South Africa, Shafali Verma, was left speechless after her heroics with bat and ball helped her team seal their maiden triumph in the prestigious tournament.
Verma was parachuted into the team after opener Pratika Rawal sustained an ankle injury in the final group-stage game against Bangladesh, which subsequently ruled her out of the tournament.
Stepping into Rawal’s boots, Shafali scored a rapid 87 off 78 balls before picking up two crucial wickets with the ball (2-36 in seven overs) to propel her team to glory.
“I said at the start, that God has sent me here to do something nice, and that reflected today. [I’m] very happy that we won, and I cannot express it in words. It was difficult, but I had confidence in myself that if I could stay calm, I could achieve everything. They [the senior players] asked me just to play my own game, and when you get that clarity, that is all you need,” said an ecstatic Verma.
The 21-year-old also revealed that she received a major confidence boost after seeing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, dubbed the ‘God of Cricket’, in the crowd.
“It was a very memorable moment. When I saw him [Sachin Tendulkar], it gave me an incredible boost. I keep talking to him every now and then, and he keeps giving me confidence. He is the master of cricket, and we keep getting inspired just looking at him,” she added.
87
No. of runs scored by Shafali Verma off 78 balls
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