It was a historic day for Indian cricket as the country took a giant leap in women’s cricket. The team ended a long wait for India for an ICC World Cup trophy in women’s cricket.
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The Shafali Verma-led side put up a stellar show on the field as they defeated England in the final. The Nooshin Al Khadeer-coached team went down in the pages of history. They were crowned champions of the inaugural edition of the ICC Under-19 women’s World Cup.
Enroute to their title triumph, India enjoyed a strong show. They fell to only one loss in the inaugural edition of the tournament in South Africa.
Shweta Sehrawat topped the run-scorers charts, as she hammered 297 runs, which included three half-centuries. Meanwhile Parshavi Chopra was India’s leading wicket-taker, pocketing eleven wickets from six matches.
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The Shafali Verma-led team handed England a seven-wicket defeat in the final in Potchefstroom. This is India’s first-ever world title in Women’s cricket. In the prestigious tournament, India not only dazzled with the ball and bat, but their fielding was clinical. Their fielding played a key role in their title triumph.
Let’s take a look at India’s journey to the trophy:
India’s route to the title:
Jan 14th: India beat South Africa by 7 wickets (with 21 balls remaining) in a Group D encounter
Jan 16th: India beat UAE by 122 runs in a Group D encounter
Jan 18th: India beat Scotland by 83 runs in a Group D encounter
Jan 21st: India lost Australia by 7 wickets in the Super Six stage in group 1
Jan 22nd: India beat Sri Lanka by 7 wickets (with 76 balls remaining) in the Super Six stage
Jan 27th: India beat New Zealand by 8 wickets in the semifinal
Jan 29th: India beat England in the final (with 36 balls remaining)
India tops Group D
The Indian eves began the tournament on a positive note, with a win over hosts South Africa. After being invited to field, skipper Verma led the bowling attack with a two-wicket haul to restrict SA to 166/5.
In reply, India opener Shweta Sehrawat took the game away from the hosts with a cracking knock. Sehrawat, along with skipper Verma put up a match-winning opening stand of 77 off 43 to set India up for a comfortable win. Verma opened the innings with a sizzling knock as she hammered a 16-ball 45. Scoring at a strike rate of 281.25, the Indian captain’s innings was studded with nine boundaries and the only six of the Indian innings.
Sehrawat on the other hand, played an unbeaten 57-ball 92 to hand India a winning start to the tournament.
India followed up their opening day win with a crushing 122 run win over UAE in their second group match. The Indian skipper continued her strong form as she guided India to a strong total. Player-of-the-Match Verma, hammered a 34-ball 78, to guide India to 219/3. Opener Sehrawat continued her strong run, as she played an unbeaten 74 off 49.
With a match-winning target on the board, the Indian bowlers put up a clinical show to restrict UAE to 97/5.
The Indian women’s team finished the group stage with another massive win. Sealing their place in the Super six stage, India handed Scotland a crushing 83 run defeat. The Indian team finished on top of Group D with three straight wins.
India in the Super Six stage
Unlike their Group stage, India’s super six stage got off to a rocky start. The Indian colts fell to their only loss in the tournament as the mighty Australians handed them a seven-wicket loss. After electing to bowl first, India lost their inform openers early. With the opening pair scoring the bulk of the runs so far in the tournament, the Indian line-up crumbled.
Sianna Ginger led the Australian attack a three-wicket haul, while player-of-the-match Milly Illingworth bagged two. Australia all but won the match, restricting India to 87 in 18.5 overs. Australia chased down the below-par target with ease, as India fell to a demoralising loss.
But India bounced back from their loss with a crushing win over Sri Lanka. India’s seven-wicket win over Lanka saw they book a semifinal berth.
India in the Semis
In the semifinals, India was up against New Zealand. Parshavi Chopra, who led India to their win over Sri Lanka, was once again clinical with the ball in the semis. After electing to bowl first, player-of-the-match Chopra, turned in figures of 3/20 as India restricted NZ to a below par 107/9.
With the bowlers doing their job, opener Sehrawat once again dazzled with the bat to guide India to the final. Sehrawat played an unbeaten 45-ball 61 as India chased down the target with 34 balls to spare.
The final
India were a confident lot heading into the final of the inaugural edition of the ICC women’s under-19 T20 World Cup. The Verma-led side took on England in the title clash. The two sides endured contrasting runs to the semifinals. England entered the final as the only unbeaten side. While the Women in Blue notched up a comfortable win over New Zealand in the semis, it was a different story for England. England had to bring out all their power to stop Australia and enter the finals.
But in the final, India put up a dominant show to completely outplay England. The Indian bowlers put up a scintillating display to bowl England out for just 68. Fast-bowler Titas Sadhu handed the Indian team the perfect start, with a wicket in the opening over. Sadhu, along with Archana Devi and Parshavi Chopra, picked up two wickets each to bowl England out for a below-par total.
With just 68 on the board, India raced towards glory as they chased down the target with six overs to spare.
Indian skipper Shafali Verma was in tears as India soaked in their historic win. For Verma, there was an element of atonement, as she was part of the senior side which lose the T20 World Cup to Australia at the MCG in 2020. Lifting the trophy, Verma made it very clear that she wasn’t done and dusted as her focus shifts to the senior women’s T20 World Cup set to unfold next month.
Tributes pour in for U19 women’s team
Following their historic triumph, BCCI President Roger Binny said, “I take this opportunity to congratulate the India U-19 Women’s team for their title glory at the ICC Under-19 Women’s World Cup. The team played with a fearless approach and created history by winning the coveted trophy. This was the inaugural edition of the tournament and our team’s achievement has set a benchmark to inspire the upcoming cricketers in the country.”
Meanwhile, BCCI honorary secretary Jay Shah said, “The India U-19 Women’s team has done the entire country proud by their stupendous success at the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup. The Shafali Verma-led unit showed tremendous skill and grit to overcome the challenges and blazed their way to glory.
“The BCCI has always valued age-group cricket and the title triumph is another sign that women’s cricket in India is thriving. This success also highlights the depth of cricketing talent in the country and augurs well as we inch closer to the inaugural edition of the much-awaited Women’s Premier League (WPL) which will further fuel interest in women’s cricket,” said Shah.
The team is set to be felicitated upon their arrival in the country. The Indian under 19 women’s triumph was not only one for the record books, but it is the beginning of a new chapter in women’s cricket in the country.
