Dubai [UAE], October 2 (ANI): Ahead of the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, star India batter Shafali Verma said that the main focus of Women in Blue is to win the extravagant trophy and not the individual goals and records.
Last month, the Indian women’s team landed in 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 to ESPNcricinfo, Shafali said that individual records are a part of the game. She added that there’s no better feeling than your team winning the prestigious trophy.
“Our main focus right now is that we win the [World Cup] trophy. Individual goals and records are a part of the game. But there’s no better feeling than your team winning, and those nights I get good sleep,” Shafali was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying.
The 20-year-old added that at the start of her career, she used to go out on the crease and hit but now changed her mentality.
“At the start of my career, I just used to go out and hit, but now I’ve made some changes mentally. Now I have the game to block a couple of deliveries as well, I can play along the ground too. You become more consistent once you make mental changes in your game. I’m hoping to carry on this consistency and do well for the team,” she added.
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.
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. (ANI)
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