Quite a familiar name these days, huh?
From making her debut at Women's Twenty-20 International (WT20I) for India, against South Africa to getting awarded with a central contract by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), this 16 year old girl, has come a long way! Yes, 16!
The youngest-ever to play T20I cricket for India, Shafali Verma was born on 28 January, 2004 in Rohtak, Haryana. She was barely nine years old, when she visited Chaudhary Bansi Lal Cricket Stadium in Lahli for the first time. It was a wintry November morning in 2013 and Mumbai was playing Haryana in a Ranji Trophy group fixture. For Shafali and her father, Sanjeev Verma, the match was special as they got to see Sachin Tendulkar in action. Little did she know that match would change her life forever!
She was shot to fame during the women's exhibition match that was played towards the fag end of IPL 2019. Batting at the top of the order, she showed admirable initiative for a 15-year-old and despite not scoring a lot of runs, her immense confidence and clarity in shot-selection impressed one and all. Shafali also shone in the Women's T20 Challenge that happened later in the year and consequently got selected for the National team in the home T20Is against South Africa.
But again, success doesn't come easy, does it? The youngster, who now opens the batting for India along with Smriti Mandhana, remembers how the entire family had to struggle to ensure that she pursued her dreams. Late in 2013, Shafali got enrolled in the Shree Ram Narain Cricket Academy, but was not allowed to feature in the 'male-only tournaments'. There was a time when she had chopped off her hair and disguised herself as her brother to play cricket with the boys. 'She just wanted to play. So, she cut her hair and featured in local tournaments. Many did not approve of it. But she never lost hope,' Sanjeev says.
As they say, 'The key to success is to focus on goals, not obstacles'. It was her determination that got her going. From the lanes of Rohtak, she slowly featured in the age-group teams for Haryana and finally in the India Women's National Cricket Team! With immense dedication and hard work, Shafali was the youngest woman to play for India in a T20I match, and in November 2019 against the West Indies, became the youngest woman for India to score a half-century in international cricket. Against the West Indies, she scored 158 runs in five matches, and was named the player of the series.
Having idolized Sachin Tendulkar, Shafali is also a huge fan of AB de Villiers. Her attacking style of play as an opener is obviously an after effect of Virender Sehwag's legacy. Shafali's biggest strength is her fearless nature of gameplay. You go girl!
Shafali Verma became the youngest cricketer to play for India in a T20 game when she made her debut against South Africa in October, scoring an impressive 46. Now she has broken Sachin Tendulkar's 30-year-old record as the youngest player to make an international fifty for her country.
Tendulkar was 16 years and 214 days when he made a half-century in a Test against Pakistan in Faisalabad in 1989. Verma did it at 15 years and 285 days.
Highest of her scores is when Verma hit 73 off 49 balls in the first of a five-match Twenty20 series against West Indies in St Lucia and she smashed 69 not out from only 35 balls in a 10-wicket victory at the same venue in the second game.
In the span of just two years in India Women's National Cricket Team, as of now, Shafali has managed to score 485 runs off 330 balls in a total of 18 matches! With average being 28.52, 58 fours and 21 sixes, with two half centuries and a strike rate (SR) of 146.97. If that's not impressive, we don't know what is.
Exercise, workout, gym, fitness, diet, supplements and what not. An athlete's life is not an easy one! And nutrition supplements play a major role in it.
We, Fast&Up Family are very proud to tell you that when it comes to nutrition supplements, this rising star of cricket world only trusts us! Could we BE any prouder? ;)
Shafali Verma is a classic example of women empowerment and girl power! We wish her all the success in her future endeavors. India is proud of you!
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