India’s youngest T20I debutant, Shafali Verma

Mumbai: On Tuesday, when India took to field against South Africa, 15-year-old Shafali Verma walked in to open for the home team. Doing so etched Shafali’s name in the record books as she became the youngest player to represent India in T20Is. She is now the second-youngest cricketer to have represented India in international cricket. Gargi Banerjee represented India in 1978 when she was just 14-years-old.

Shafali’s debut in itself wasn’t fruitful as she couldn’t manage to open her account after departing for a duck. She earned her national team call-up after performing splendidly in the domestic season where she scored 1923 runs, which included six centuries and three half-centuries.

After Shafali’s wicket, the Indian middle-order struggled to make a worthwhile score and the hosts ended up with 130 runs on board, all thanks to a 34-ball 43 by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.

Indian ultimately won the match after spinner Deepti Sharma bowled three maiden overs in her four-over quota, apart from taking three wickets, as the Indian women’s team survived a Mignon du Preez blitz to eke out a 11-run win.