New Zealand women’s cricket team captain Sophie Devine has the most sixes in women’s T20 internationals.

Since making her T20I debut against arch-rivals Australia in October 2006, Sophie Devine has slammed 113 sixes in 138 matches to record the most sixes in women’s T20 internationals.

West Indies women's cricket team all-rounder Deandra Dottin features second on the list for the most sixes in women’s T20 internationals. Deandra Dottin has hit 105 sixes in 128 matches.

Chamari Athapaththu is third on the list for the most sixes in women’s T20 internationals. The Sri Lanka women’s cricket team captain has clobbered 88 sixes in 141 matches.

Among Indian cricketers, captain Harmanpreet Kaur has hit the most sixes in women’s T20 internationals. The right-handed batter has slammed 76 maximums in 174 matches so far.

Know the top 10 list with most sixes in women’s T20 internationals.

Most sixes in women’s T20 internationals

Player	Span	Matches	Innings	Sixes
Sophie Devine (NZ-W)	2006-2024	141	137	114
Deandra Dottin (BRB-W/WI-W)	2008-2024	131	129	111
Chamari Athapaththu (SL-W)	2009-2024	143	141	88
Harmanpreet Kaur (IND-W)	2009-2024	177	157	77
Smriti Mandhana (IND-W)	2013-2024	145	139	69
Shafali Verma (IND-W)	2019-2024	85	84	61
Alyssa Healy (AUS-W)	2010-2024	162	143	57
Lizelle Lee (SA-W)	2013-2021	82	82	48
Meg Lanning (AUS-W)	2010-2023	132	121	47
Ellyse Perry (AUS-W)	2008-2024	161	104	47
Chloe Tryon (SA-W)	2010-2024	103	82	46

Sophie Devine | 113 T20I sixes

Sophie Devine holds the record for the most sixes in women’s T20 internationals. Between 2006 and 2024, Sophie Devine smashed 113 maximums in women’s T20 international cricket. The swashbuckling right-handed batter has also slammed 69 sixes in 147 matches in women’s one-day internationals (ODIs).

Deandra Dottin | 105 T20I sixes

Deandra Dottin is the only other cricketer to slam 100 sixes in women’s T20 internationals. Having represented West Indies and Barbados in international cricket, Deandra Dottin has smashed 105 sixes in 128 matches. Deandra Dottin also holds the record for the most sixes in women’s ODIs, having clobbered 89 sixes in 143 matches between 2008 and 2022.

Chamari Athapaththu | 88 T20I sixes

Chamari Athapaththu has slammed 88 sixes in women’s T20 international cricket, the third-most in history. Between 2009 and 2024,Chamari Athapaththu has been a consistent performer for the Sri Lanka women’s cricket team in white-ball cricket. She has also hit 56 maximums in 107 women’s ODIs.

Harmanpreet Kaur | 76 T20I sixes

One of the most destructive T20 batters in women’s cricket, India’s Harmanpreet Kaur features fourth on the list for most sixes in women’s T20 internationals. Since making her T20I debut against England in Taunton in June 2009, Harmanpreet Kaur has smashed 76 T20I sixes in 174 matches. Furthermore, the middle-order batter has slammed 49 maximums in women’s ODI cricket.

Smriti Mandhana | 68 T20I sixes

India’s Smriti Mandhana completes the top five list for most sixes in women’s T20 internationals. One of the leading cricketers in women’s cricket, Smriti Mandhana has smashed 68 T20I sixes in 142 matches between 2013 and 2024. The southpaw has also slammed 39 sixes in the 50-over format.

Photo credit: Imago

Former Pakistan cricketer Kiran Baluch holds the record for the highest individual score in women’s Test cricket.

Opening the batting, Kiran Baluch scored 242 against West Indies Women in a one-off Test in Karachi in 2004 to record the highest individual score in women’s Test cricket.

Legendary India cricketer Mithali Raj features second on the list of the highest individual scores in women’s Test cricket.

Mithali Raj slammed 214 in the second Test of India Women’s tour of England in Taunton in 2002.

Australia Women’s star all-rounder Ellyse Perry is third in the highest individual score in women’s Test cricket list. 

Ellyse Perry scored an unbeaten 213 against arch-rivals England Women in North Sydney in 2017.

Australian duo of Annabel Sutherland (210) and Karen Rolton (209*) complete the top five list.

Meanwhile, swashbuckling India opener Shafali Verma (205) is the other Indian to feature in the list.

Shafali Verma smashed the fastest double century in women’s Test cricket against South Africa Women after she achieved the feat off just 194 balls in Chennai in June 2024. Verma eclipsed Annabel Sutherland’s double century in 248 balls in February 2024.

Know the highest individual score in women’s Test cricket.

Highest individual score in women’s Test cricket: Get top 10 list

Player	Runs	Team	Against	Ground	Year
Kiran Baluch	242	Pakistan Women	West Indies Women	Karachi	2004
Mithali Raj	214	India Women	England Women	Taunton	2002
Ellyse Perry	213*	Australia Women	England Women	North Sydney	2017
Annabel Sutherland	210	Australia Women	South Africa Women	Perth	2024
Karen Rolton	209*	Australia Women	England Women	Leeds	2001
Tammy Beaumont	208	England Women	Australia Women	Nottingham	2023
Shafali Verma	205	India Women	South Women	Chennai	2024
Kirsty Bond	204	New Zealand Women	England Women	Scarborough	1996
Michelle Goszko	204	Australia Women	England Women	Shenley	2001
Joanne Broadbent	200	Australia Women	England Women	Guildford	1998

Kiran Baluch | 242 vs West Indies Women, Karachi, 2004

Pakistan’s Kiran Baluch scripted history after she recorded the highest individual score in women’s Test cricket in Karachi in 2004. Put in to bat, former opening batter Kiran Baluch hammered 242 in the first innings of the only Test of West Indies Women’s tour of Pakistan 2004. Kiran Baluch’s record-breaking knock was laced with 38 fours. Her knock helped Pakistan Women post 426/7d in their first innings. In reply, West Indies Women were bundled out for 147 as the hosts enforced follow-on. Led by Stephanie Power, the visitors later bounced back in their second innings to post 440 all out. Chasing 162, Pakistan Women scored 58/2 before the match ended in a draw.

Mithali Raj | 214 vs England Women, Taunton, 2002

Former India Women’s captain Mithali Raj held the previous record for the highest individual score in women’s Test cricket. Batting at No.4, Mithali Raj scored 214 against England Women in the second Test in Taunton in 2002. After India Women bowled out England Women for 329 in their first innings, the visitors rode on Mithali Raj’s scintillating double ton to post 467. Raj’s magnificent knock included 19 boundaries. Later, the Clare Connor-led England Women scored 198/6d in their second innings as the match ended in a draw. 

Ellyse Perry | 213* vs England Women, North Sydney, 2017

Australia Women’s Ellyse Perry has the third-highest individual score in women’s Test cricket. Ellyse Perry slammed an unbeaten 213 in the only Test of England Women’s tour of Australia in North Sydney in 2017. After Australia bowled out England for 280 in their first innings, the hosts rode on Ellyse Perry’s brilliant double century to post 448/9d. Perry’s incredible knock was laced with 27 fours and one six. Later, England Women managed 206/2 in their second innings before the match ended in a dull draw. 

Photo credit: Alamy

The Indian women’s cricket team will look to clinch the three-match T20I series when they lock horns with England women in the third and final encounter at the County Ground in Chelmsford on Wednesday, July 14.

After suffering an 18-run defeat under the DLS method in the rain-curtailed opening T20I, India bounced back as Harmanpreet Kaur-led side defeated the hosts by eight runs in the second match on Sunday.

Put into bat first, the visitors posted 148/4 in their quota of 20 overs courtesy Shafali Verma’s 38-ball 48 and captain Kaur’s 31 off 25 balls.

In reply, the England women’s cricket team was cruising at one stage at 106/2 with opener Tammy Beaumont (59) and skipper Heather Knight (30) at the crease as the hosts looked like securing another series win. However, India had other ideas as they rode on their spinning duo of Poonam Yadav and Deepti Sharma to choke England and level the series 1-1.

Interestingly, Harmanpreet and her players will aim to clinch their first T20I series since 2019 which came against West Indies women. 

Both India and England are expected to remain unchanged for the third and final T20I on Wednesday.

England women vs India women T20I squads

India women T20I squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Taniya Bhatia (wicket-keeper), Pooja Vastrakar, Shikha Pandey, Radha Yadav, Poonam Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Simran Bahadur, Sneh Rana, Ekta Bisht, Indrani Roy, Harleen Deol

England women T20I squad: Heather Knight (captain), Danielle Wyatt, Tammy Beaumont, Natalie Sciver, Amy Jones (wicket-keeper), Sophia Dunkley, Anya Shrubsole, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Natasha Farrant, Freya Davies, Mady Villiers, Natasha Farrant, Fran Wilson

England women vs India women 3rd T20I (probable XI) 

England XI (probable): Tammy Beaumont, Danielle Wyatt, Natalie Sciver, Heather Knight (captain), Amy Jones (wicket-keeper), Sophia Dunkley,  Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Mady Villiers, Freya Davies

India XI (probable): Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Sneh Rana, Harleen Deol, Arundhati Reddy, Shikha Pandey, Radha Yadav, Poonam Yadav

Where to watch England women vs India women 3rd T20I live in India?

The England women vs India women third T20I will be telecast live at 11 PM IST on the Sony Ten 1 and Sony Ten 1 HD TV channels in India on Wednesday, July 14. 

Live streaming of the England women vs India women 3rd T20I will also be available on SonyLIV and JioTV.

Featured photo: Twitter / BCCI Women

Indian women’s cricket team opener Shafali Verma became the youngest debutant for the country across all formats when the talented opener took the field for the first ODI against England women on Sunday.

A proud moment for our thunderbolt @TheShafaliVerma as she is presented with #TeamIndia 131 from captain @M_Raj03. Here's hoping she has a smashing debut. #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/ZsmL9Jb68Y

�?BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) June 27, 2021

Shafali was presented with India Women's ODI cap number 131 by captain Mithali Raj. She went past Smriti Mandhana, who previously held the record at 18 years and 26 days. Among the men’s national team, pacer Ishant Sharma continues to be the record holder.

Youngest cricketers to play for India (men and women)

Player	All formats	Test	ODI	T20I
Shafali Verma	17 years, 150 days	17 years, 139 days	17 years, 150 days	15 years, 239 days
Smriti Mandhana	18 years, 26 days	18 years, 26 days	16 years, 266 days	16 years, 261 days
Ishant Sharma	19 years, 152 days	18 years, 265 days	18 years, 300 days	19 years, 152 days
Rishabh Pant	21 years, 17 days	20 years, 318 days	21 years, 17 days	19 years, 120 days
Washington Sundar	21 years, 102 days	21 years, 102 days	18 years, 69 days	18 years, 80 days

Shafali made 15 off 14 balls in her first ODI, hitting three fours before being dismissed. Among her debuts across all three formats, the 17-year-old’s Test bow stands out as she scored the highest score by an Indian women’s cricketer playing her first match. Furthermore, Shafali became the youngest woman to hit two half-centuries in her first game (96, 63 at Bristol).

Highest scores on debut by Indian women in Test cricket

Runs	Player	Match inning	Opposition	Venue	Date
96	Shafali Verma	2	England	Bristol	June 17, 2021
80*	Sneh Rana	3	England	Bristol	June 19, 2021
75	Chanderkanta Kaul	1	New Zealand	Nelson	February 7, 1995
74	Shanta Rangaswamy	2	West Indies	Bangalore	November 1, 1976
71	Sandhya Agarwal	1	Australia	Ahmedabad	February 3, 1984
69	Shobha Pandit	2	West Indies	Bangalore	November 1, 1976

Shafali Verma, who made her T20I debut for India at the age of 15, became the fifth-youngest to play in all three formats of the game, and the third-youngest among women after former England wicket-keeper batsman Sarah Taylor and Australian star all-rounder Ellyse Perry.

Youngest cricketers across all formats (men and women)

Player	All formats	Test	ODI	T20I
Mujeeb Ur Rahman	17 years, 78 days	17 years, 78 days	16 years, 252 days	16 years, 314 days
Sarah Taylor	17 years, 86 days	17 years, 80 days	17 years, 86 days	17 years, 77 days
Ellyse Perry	17 years, 104 days	17 years, 104 days	16 years, 261 days	17 years, 90 days
Mohammad Amir	21 years, 17 days	17 years, 82 days	17 years, 108 days	17 years, 55 days
Shafali Verma	17 years, 150 days	17 years, 139 days	17 years, 150 days	15 years, 239 days

Featured photo: Twitter / BCCI

After playing an epic one-off Test at the Bristol County Ground, the Indian women’s cricket team is gearing up for a three-match ODI series against hosts England starting on Sunday, June 27.

Under the leadership of Mithali Raj, the Women in Blue will head into the white-ball series brimming with confidence after the visitors saved the Bristol Test from the jaws of defeat. 

The Indian squad for the England ODI series includes opener Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana as well as all-rounders Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma who were the standout performers in the thrilling Test match. 

The Indian team will, however, hope for a better showing from their senior pros Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jhulan Goswami as they look to clinch the ODI series against a strong England side.

Meanwhile, the England women’s cricket team has also announced their 16-member squad for the highly-anticipated ODI series. 

The Heather Knight-led side has included Sophia Dunkley who could make her debut in the 50-over format on Sunday. England have also brought in Freya Davies and Sarah Glenn, who featured for their local teams during the one-off Test.

However, the four-time 50-over champions England have dropped Danielle Wyatt after she endured a poor form in the ODI series against New Zealand. Wyatt had amassed just 18 runs in the three innings during that series.

England women vs India women ODI squads

England women’s ODI squad: Heather Knight (captain), Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones (wicket-keeper), Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield-Hill (wicket-keeper), Emily Arlott, Katherine Brunt, Tammy Beaumont (wicket-keeper)

India women’s ODI squad: Mithali Raj (captain), Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-captain), Smriti Mandhana, Punam Raut, Priya Punia, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Sneh Rana, Taniya Bhatia (wicket-keeper), Indrani Roy (wicket-keeper), Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, Radha Yadav

England women vs India women ODI schedule, fixtures and live India match times

All times in India Standard Time (IST)

Day and Date	Match	Time (IST)	Venue
Sunday, June 27	England women vs India women, 1st ODI	3:00 PM IST	County Ground, Bristol
Wednesday, June 30	England women vs India women, 2nd ODI	6:30 PM IST	The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton
Saturday, July 3	England women vs India women, 3rd ODI	3:00 PM IST	New Road, Worcester

Where to watch England Women vs India Women ODI series live?  

The England Women vs India Women ODI series will be telecast live on Sony Ten 1 and Sony Ten 1 HD TV channels in India. 

Live streaming of the England Women vs India Women ODI series will be available on SonyLIV and JIO TV.

Featured photo: Biju BORO / AFP

The Indian women’s cricket team secured a memorable draw in the one-off Test against England at the Bristol County Ground on Saturday, June 19.

The Mithali Raj-led side had handed debuts to five cricketers who all played an important role in saving the Test from the jaws of defeat. Here are the contributions of the five debutants during the epic England-India women Test:

Pooja Vastrakar

The 21-year-old pacer had a decent outing on her Test debut as she gave India their first breakthrough of the match, picking the wicket of England opener Lauren Winfield Hill. The girl from Madhya Pradesh even contributed with the bat lower down the order. Pooja scored 12 runs in India’s first innings to help the team reduce England’s lead and further added another 12 runs on the board in the second innings to help India save the one-off Test.

 

Taniya Bhatia

Taniya Bhatia showed why she is regarded as the best wicket-keeper in India. The 23-year-old wicket-keeper batter had a brilliant game behind the stumps but what surprised everyone was her batting prowess. After being dismissed for a duck in the first innings, Taniya was sent to bat at number 10 in the second innings. Showing her incredible temperament, Taniya stitched a match-saving 104-run partnership with Sneh Rana which earned praise from several Indian cricketers and fans. She remained unbeaten on 44 having faced 88 deliveries in India’s second innings.

Deepti Sharma

Deepti Sharma produced an outstanding all-around performance in the one-off Test against England. The 23-year-old bowled exceptionally in England’s first innings to claim three wickets having bowled 27 overs. She followed it up by scoring an unbeaten 29 in India’s first innings. Deepti was later promoted to number three in the second innings and she responded by scoring her maiden Test fifty. 

Sneh Rana

Sneh Rana was undoubtedly one of the standout performers for India in the recently-concluded Test. The Dehradun-born cricketer became the first Indian woman and fourth overall to manage a 50+ score and a 4+ wicket haul on Test debut. Her classical off-spin bowling helped her bag four wickets in the first innings. Later in the Test, Rana remained unbeaten on 80 off 154 balls in India’s second innings to help her side script an epic draw against the hosts.

Shafali Verma

The 17-year-old took the internet by storm after she became the first Indian woman and fourth overall to record fifties in both innings on Test debut (96 and 63).

 

Interestingly, Shafali is now just the second Indian cricketer after legend Sachin Tendulkar to register two 50+ scores in the same match at the age of 17. The swashbuckling opening batter was adjudged Player of the Match in the one-off Test against England. Shafali also broke a 26-year-old record by registering the highest score by an Indian women’s cricket team batter on Test debut. The previous record belonged to Chanderkanta Kaul who had scored 75 against New Zealand in Nelson in 1995.

Featured photo: Twitter/BCCIWomen

Shafali Verma’s 96 against the England women’s team is the highest score on Test debut by an Indian women’s cricket team batter. If she had made another four runs against England in India’s first innings in Bristol, Shafali would have become the first Indian woman to score a century on Test debut.

Sneh Rana’s unbeaten 80 in India’s second innings to draw the Bristol Test is also the second-highest individual score by an Indian woman on Test debut. The previous highest individual score on Test debut by an Indian woman was 75 by Chanderkanta Kaul against New Zealand in Nelson in 1995.

In all, there have been 12 half-centuries made by Test debutants for India Women.

Highest individual scores on Test debut for India Women

Player	Score	Opposition	Venue	Year
Shafali Verma	96	England	Bristol	2021
Sneh Rana	80*	England	Bristol	2021
Chanderkanta Kaul	75	New Zealand	Nelson	1995
Shantha Rangaswamy	74	West Indies	Bangalore	1976
Sandhya Agarwal	71	Australia	Ahmedabad	1984
Shobha Pandit	69	West Indies	Bangalore	1976
Gargi Banerji	63	Australia	Delhi	1984
Shafali Verma	63	England	Bristol	2021
Minoti Desai	54	England	Wetherby	1986
Deepti Sharma	54	England	Bristol	2021
Sangita Dabir	52	New Zealand	Nelson	1995
Smriti Mandhana	51	England	Wetherby	2014

Only two batters have ever made centuries on debut for India Women: Mithali Raj and Reshma Gandhi. Interestingly, both centuries were unbeaten and came in the same ODI against Ireland at Milton Keynes, England in 1999. While Gandhi played only one more match for India thereafter, Raj is still playing 22 years later!

As far as women’s Test cricket is concerned, there have been 12 centuries �?including a double ton -- on debut, although none by an Indian yet. Three have been scored against India. Incredibly, seven of the 12 debut centuries have been made by Australians, including the top four scores.

Centuries on Test debut in women’s cricket

Player	Score	For	Against	Venue	Year
Michelle Goszko	204	Australia	England	Shenley	2001
Melanie Jones	131	Australia	England	Guildford	1998
Belinda Haggett	126	Australia	England	Worcester	1987
Lorraine Hill	118*	Australia	New Zealand	Wellington	1975
Nadine George	118	West Indies	Pakistan	Karachi	2004
Julie Stockton	117	Australia	New Zealand	Sydney	1979
Lesley Cooke	117	England	India	Wetherby	1986
Enid Bakewell	113	England	Australia	Adelaide	1968
Una Paisley	108	Australia	New Zealand	Wellington	1948
Chamani Seneviratna	105*	Sri Lanka	Pakistan	Colombo	1998
Belinda Clark	104	Australia	India	Sydney	1991
Mignon du Preez	102	South Africa	India	Mysore	2014

Featured photo: Twitter / BCCI Women

Teenage batting sensation Shafali Verma has been promoted to Grade B from Grade C in the annual player contracts announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for India Women. 

Senior left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht is among four players who have been dropped from the list, which itself has been pruned from 22 to 19 players.

Veda Krishnamurthy, D Hemalatha and Anuja Patil are the other omissions from the previous period, while another teen batting talent Richa Ghosh has been given a contract (Grade C) for the first time.

Verma, 17, is yet to make her ODI debut and her promotion shows how highly rated she already is. Her strike-rate of 148.31 is by far the highest across women’s cricket for batters who have played at least 20 innings. Her ability to consistently hit clean, cross-batted straight sixes could transform the women’s game if she is able to sustain it.

Meanwhile, Bisht’s omission is a clear sign the team is looking to move on from the 35-year old veteran who has played more than 100 international matches.  Although she is in the squad for the upcoming England tour, she has not played for India since November 2019. She was in Grade B last time. India have two other established, younger left-arm spinners in Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Radha Yadav, both in Grade B.

Along with Verma, Gayakwad and experienced top-order batter Punam Raut have also been promoted to Grade B from Grade C following their good performances against South Africa in the recent home series. The Grade A players remain unchanged.

“Shafali is seen as the biggest superstar that we will have in years to come and hence it wasn’t a surprise that she got elevated to Grade B from C. Punam Raut was rewarded for her good show in the South Africa series and she has also been promoted to Grade B,�?a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying by PTI.

The contracts are for the period October 2020 to September 2021 with three categories: Grade A (Rs 50 lakh), Grade B (Rs 30 lakh) and Grade C (Rs 10 lakh). 

The men’s contracts had been announced earlier in April, with four categories: Grade A+ (Rs 7 crore), Grade A (Rs 5 crore), Grade B (Rs 3 crore) and Grade D (Rs 1 crore) for a total of 28 players.

Indian women’s central contract list:

Grade A (Rs 50 lakh): Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Poonam Yadav

Grade B (Rs 30 lakh): Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Deepti Sharma, Punam Raut, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Shafali Verma, Radha Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Taniya Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues

Grade C (Rs 10 lakh): Mansi Joshi, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Harleen Deol, Priya Punia, Richa Ghosh

Featured photo: AFP / William West

Aaron Finch and David Warner put on an exhibition of opening the batting in T20s in the recently concluded series against South Africa. Quinton de Kock did the same in the second match of the series. Yet, eclipsing the three of them, in terms of strike rate, at another end of the planet, was 16-year old India Women's team opener, Shafali Verma.

The opener hasn't scored a half-century yet in India's T20 World Cup campaign so far, but has two Man of the Match awards. Even as her senior partner, Smriti Mandhana has failed, Shafali has made scores of 29 (15), 39 (17) and 46 (34). She has the highest strike rate in the tournament so far with her runs coming at a frenetic strike rate of 172.73.

Shafali's natural game is to attack and her carefree batting has been a delight to watch. Several commentators raised pertinent points about her game during the tournament. One primary suggestion was that while Shafali was a pure entertainer, she ought to try and convert her starts. 

Playing her first @T20WorldCup match, 16-year-old Shefali Verma smashed 29 off 15 balls, including 16 off one over bowled by Megan Schutt, the @MRFWorldwide No.1 ranked T20I bowler @oppo | #ClearinEveryShot | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/rFWBV8qxe9

�?ICC (@ICC) February 21, 2020

While their point carries weight, Shafali is in a league of her own and her importance to this Indian side goes beyond numbers. India women have a brittle middle-order, a fact so many teams are well aware of. To silence India, they need to force the middle-order to make the bulk of the runs. 

This hasn't been happening thanks to Shafali's timely intervention at the top. The 16-year old has made blazing starts at the top, helping India to get off the blocks quite quickly. 

When she was dismissed against Australia in the very first game of the World Cup, India had made 43 in 5.3 overs. Against Bangladesh, at the point she was dismissed, the women's team had 53 in 5.3 overs. Against New Zealand, she carried on further after helping put up 49 runs in the powerplay (contributing 25 off 15 balls then). When she was dismissed, India had 95 in 13.5 overs. They went on to add just 38 runs in 6.1 overs. 

This Shefali Verma is of another level

�?Kuptaan (@Kuptaan) February 21, 2020

What Shafali's early onslaught does is allow India's middle-order to not overly attack but play their natural game. With Harmanpreet Kaur failing, this approach is extremely good as the momentum and platform has been laid early on. 

Even if India do not get a final flourish, there's enough on the board for their bowlers to work the magic. This has worked in all three group games so far, and the young champ has been India's batter of the tournament. Her carefree approach could well determine if this side can go the distance and win the title.

Feature image courtesy: AFP / William West