For 16-year-old Shafali Verma, her maiden World Cup campaign was going great gun till the day of the final arrived. Like Team India, the pint-size dynamite also had a change of fortune on Sunday at the Melbourne Cricket Stadium against hosts Australia at the finale of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
India, who were unbeaten till the final, were subjected to an embarrassing 85-run loss against Australia, who lifted their fifth Women’s World T20 title.
Shafali, who finished the tournament as India’s highest run-getter and had a forgettable outing on Sunday. The prodigy had such a tough time on the field that at the end of the match a teary-eyed Shafali had grabbed all the headlines.
Shafali, who ended with the highest strike rate of any batter to face more than 50 balls at the event, dropped Alyssa Healy on nine in the first over and only made two while chasing.
Healy went on to score 39-ball 75 which took the game away from India during the first half.
But despite the loss and Shafali’s bad day at office, her teammates as well as senior colleagues were seen rallying behind the youngster to cheer her up.
Immediately after the match got over, senior colleagues and skipper Harmanpreet were seen consoling Shafali, who looked completely distraught after India’s loss.
Meanwhile, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur says agreed that Shafali struggled to bounce back after dropping Alyssa Healy but refused to blame the teenager for the defeat.
"She's only 16, she's playing her first World Cup. She did really, really well and performed for us," said Kaur. "For a 16-year-old kid, it's difficult to keep thinking positively and stay in the game.
“It’s a learning lesson for her but it could happen to anyone. We can’t blame her because there were others also in her position.Harmanpreet Kaur on Shafali Verma
Another senior pro Smriti Mandhana, who had a bad tournament just like her skipper, sided with Shafali and had some word of encouragement for her.
Mandhana revealed she told a tearful Shafali Verma to be 'really proud' of her performances at the competition.
"Shafali and I were standing almost together when we were receiving our medals. She was in tears," said Mandhana.
“I told her she had to be really proud of the kind of campaign she’d had. When I played my first World Cup at the age of 16, I couldn’t hit the ball 20 per cent of what she can hit.Smriti Mandhana on Shafali Verma
"She has to be really proud of the way she played, but she was upset with the way she got out,” added Mandhana.
Despite a dismal day at the office, nothing can be taken away from young Shafali Verma, who lit the tournament with her batting, and it just matter of time before Shafali joins other young cricketers from the side to become world beaters.
In fact, Shafali is already the number one women’s T20 cricketer, according to the latest ICC ranking.
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