WATCH | From tears of sadness at T20 WC 2020 to tears of happiness at U19 T20 WC, Shafali Verma & Co scripts history

It was a heartbreaking moment to see 16-year-old Shafali Verma in tears at the final hurdle at the 2020 T20 World Cup when Australia defeated the Asian side by 85 runs in front of more than 85,000 fans at the MCG.

 

Three years later, she was determined to not repeat the same moment as she led India to win their maiden ICC title in women's cricket - the inaugural U-19 World Cup - with an emphatic seven-wicket victory over England.

 

 

The Shafali Verma-led India U-19 squad managed to clear the final hurdle in an ICC event. This victory on Sunday also speaks highly of India's dominance at the U-19 level with the boys winning the world title in the Caribbean last year.

 

India first bundled out England for 68 in 17.1 overs and then returned to knock off the paltry target in 17.1 overs to lift the coveted trophy.

 

The Indian senior women's team had never lifted an ICC trophy having lost the final of the 2005 and 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup. Shafali alongside wicket-keeper Richa Ghosh was part of the team that tasted defeat in the 2022 Women's T20 World Cup final against Australia in front of a record crowd at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). So, the Sunday's win was really special for Shafali Verma as well as for Indian women's cricket.

 

Speaking of the historic win, Shafali struggled to keep hold of her tears while talking to the presenter and had to stop her interview to soak in the moment giving an indication of how she felt on leading the country to their first-ever women's ICC title in history.

 

"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 every day and telling us that we are here for the cup and because of them we are here," she said while fighting back tears.

 

 

“All thanks to them. The players have been backing me a lot. Thanks to BCCI for giving me this beautiful team and really happy for winning the cup. She (Shweta Sehrawat) has been excellent and has followed all the plans of the staff. Not just her, Archana, Soumya and I can’t really take the names but they all have been incredible,” she concluded.

 

While the rest of the team members will head back home with the trophy, the likes of Shafali and wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh will join the senior team in South Africa for the upcoming T20 World Cup next month.