‘I Would Choose’: Shafali Verma Wants To Bat Like This IND Star In The Powerplay

Ahead of the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, Indian women’s cricketer Shafali Verma said on Thursday that she looks up to skipper Rohit Sharma for the powerplay batting template. Earlier on Wednesday, the Indian women’s team departed for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup starts from October 3 onwards.

In five Tests and 10 innings, Shafali has scored 567 runs at an average of 63.00 and a strike rate of over 74, with a century and three fifties. Her best score is 205. In 26 ODIs, she has scored 588 runs at an average of 23.52, with four half-centuries. Her best score is 71*.

Shafali has also played 81 T20Is since she made her international debut with this format back in 2019, scoring 1,948 runs at an average of 25.63 and a strike rate of over 130, with 10 half-centuries. His best score is 81. Speaking exclusively with Star Sports, Shafali Verma praised Rohit Sharma for the way he utilises the powerplay during a limited over match.

“I would choose India’s Rohit Sharma because the way he utilizes the Powerplay is memorable to watch. Even in the World Cup, there are 2-3 innings I can recall. I always feel good watching how he makes the most of the Powerplay,” Shafali was quoted in a release from Star Sports as saying. In 159 T20Is, Rohit Sharma scored 4231 runs at a strike rate of 140.89. After winning the T20 World Cup, the 37-year-old retired from the shortest-format.

In ODIs, Rohit played 265 matches, where he scored 10866 runs at a strike rate of 92.43. In the last edition of the T20 World Cup in 2022, India again came close to making history, storming into the semi-finals. However, Australia proved to be a stumbling block once again in the final four.

In the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, India has had mixed results. They lost the T20I series against Australia and England earlier this year, but Harmanpreet’s side bounced back with two consecutive series wins against Bangladesh. In July, India’s T20I series against South Africa ended in a draw. In the Asia Cup 2024, India lost the final to Sri Lanka, who remained unbeaten throughout the tournament.

India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against New Zealand on October 4 at Dubai International Stadium. Before the tournament, India will play warm-up matches against the West Indies and South Africa. In the T20 World Cup last year, Australia defeated South Africa at home by 19 runs to win their sixth title. Meanwhile, India made it to the semifinals, losing to the Aussies by five runs.

Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (WK), Yastika Bhatia (WK), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajana Sajeevan.

Travelling reserves: Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Saima Thakor.

Non-Travelling Reserves: Raghvi Bist, Priya Mishra. 

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