Shafali Verma-led India created history to win the inaugural women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup 2023. The comprehensive win by seven wickets ended India women’s jinx at World Cup events healing the wounds of Mithali Raj-led India who lost to England in a closely-fought ODI World Cup 2017 final.
The lowly target of 69 did not pose a threat for India. Shafali (15) walked out to bat with the idea of finishing the run chase early. She struck one four and a six but got dismissed by Hannah Baker as Alexa Stonehouse took a spectacular catch diving forward. In the next over, the highest run-scorer of the tournament Shweta Sehrawat played a loose shot to lose her wicket. She became Grace Scrivens' victim in the fourth over after scoring five runs from six deliveries. Hannah produced another chance in her next over. Soumya Tiwari took the bait as she went for a booming drive and got dropped by first slip fielder.
After powerplay overs, India had 30/2 on the board. England fielders were not able to create pressure on Soumya and Gongadi Trisha. Also, the score on the board wasn't enough to force Indian batters to panic and take unnecessary risks. At halfway stage, India had 48/2 on the board. The partnership was broken by Alexa who got the consolation wicket of Gongadi (24) when India needed three more runs to win. Soumya scored the winning runs for India as they won the game with six overs to spare.
Earlier Shafali won the toss and opted to field first. Titas Sadhu started off with the wicket of Liberty Heap who walked back to the dugout without troubling the scorers. Niamh Holland (10) scored a couple of boundaries but got bowled in an attempt to play lap sweep off Archana Devi. In the same over, she got the wicket of in-form Grace (4). Gongadi Trisha pulled off a blinder at long-off to help India dominate England in powerplay overs. In the fifth over, Titas would have gotten her second wicket but wicketkeeper Richa dropped a regulation catch. After the powerplay overs, England had 22/3 on the board.
Shafali continued with Titas and she got a much-deserved wicket in the form of Seren Smale (3). Seren played down the wrong line and the inside edge crashed into stumps. At the halfway stage, Parshavi Chopra got Charis Pavely (2) trapped in front of the stumps as the latter attempted a slog sweep. England had 39/5 on the scoreboard after 10 overs.
Parshavi struck again off the next ball she bowled in the 12th over to dismiss set batter Ryana Macdonald Gay (19). Archana dived to take a one-handed stunner at extra cover as England batting lineup's free fall continued. In the 14th over, another moment of brilliance in the field provided a wicket. Soumya Tiwari hit the stumps from cover to catch Josie Groves (4) short of the crease.
Skipper Shafali got into the act as well getting Hannah out for a golden duck. Richa pulled off a stunning stumping as she took the bails off in a flash. Mannat Kashyap ended Alexa Stonehouse' (11) resistance in the 17th over. Alexa was deceived by the pace and ended up giving an easy catch to Sonam. In the next over, Sonam finished England's innings with the wicket of Sophia Smale (11) as they managed to post just 68 from 17.1 overs.
