In between tears of joy and ecstacy, winning captain of the Women's U19 T20 World Cup is pumped for the future. When asked if this is the only tournament she's gonna pick up this season in South Africa. Her reply when asked if this is the only tournament she's gonna pick up this season in South Africa — No, definitely not.
The young teenage girls of India created history when they lifted the Women's U19 T20 World Cup in South Africa after a big seven-wicket victory over England. It was an especially emotional moment for their skipper Shafali Verma, who has lost two major finals in her career — The T20 World Cup final in 2020, and then the Commonwealth Games final in 2022 — Both against Australia.
This is the best possible preparation and confidence booster for India ahead of the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup, with Shafali and Richa Ghosh to remain in South Africa and join the senior team in preparation for the tournament that kicks off on February 10.
Hence, when the young opener was called to the presentation ceremony to lift the coveted trophy, it was understandable that she could not hold back her tears as the presenter and her teammates egged her on. A moment of that beautiful scene made its way to social media, as Shafali added the usual pleasantries for her teammates and the coaching staff.
"The way all the girls are performing and backing each other, so happy. Incredible feeling. Thanks to the staff, the way they have been backing us everyday and telling us that we are here for the cup and because of them we are here. All thanks to them," the emotional Shafali said.
The humble skipper also took time to appreciate her teammates, especially Shweta Sehrawat, who finished as the tournament's highest run-getter, "She (Shweta Sehrawat) has been excellent and has followed all the plans from the staff. Not just her, Archana, Soumya and I can't really take the names but they all have been incredible."
The future of Indian cricket is bright. The next stop — the Women's Premier League. But for now, these young talents can take a chill pill before all the pressure of being World Champions fall on their shoulders.
