On this day in 2019: Shafali Verma becomes the youngest Indian to make a fifty
The Indian women’s team got their hands on a gem of a cricketer when a young Shafali Verma made her debut for the national side in 2019. While the swashbuckling opener has played several eye-catching innings in her brief career so far, the date 9th November is of utter significance for the opener as it was on his day that she truly announced herself on the grand stage, become the youngest Indian cricketer to register a half-century in international matches aged 15. Shafali broke the long-standing record of Sachin Tendulkar with this incredible feat three years ago.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s India travelled to the Caribbean for their much-anticipated tour. They were put into bat first in the T20I series opener by the hosts. A 15-year-old Shafali Verma, playing just her fifth international match put up a show for the ages, dispatching the West Indian bowlers to all parts of the ground.
Her senior opening partner Smriti Mandhana wasn’t too far behind as the duo stitched together an explosive opening stand of 143 runs in just over 15 overs. Shafali registered her first half-century for India, becoming the youngest Indian cricketer ever to score a fifty for the national side. Her swashbuckling knock of 73 runs off just 49 deliveries came to an end in the 16th over, putting India in a commanding position in the match.
India finished with a daunting total of 185 runs in their 20 overs thanks to the belligerence of their two opening batters. The home side made a brisk start to their innings, but the departure of Hayley Matthews in the second over derailed their chase. The hosts never recovered from that early blow as India kept chipping away at the wickets to restrict their opposition to modest 101 runs, handing them a comprehensive victory by 84 runs.
Shafali Verma was named the player of the match for her record-breaking knock in the first innings that propelled India to a comfortable victory in the series opener.
