Shafali Verma became the first Indian player and the youngest in history to hit twin fifties on debut in a Test during the one-off match in Bristol.
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Shafali Verma is one of the most exciting names currently in the India women’s cricket circuit. Her exploits on her Test debut have made her a household name. After becoming the No.1 batter in Twenty20 Internationals, Shafali Verma scripted history in the one-off Test in Bristol against England. After smashing 96 in the first innings, Shafali Verma blasted 63 in the second innings as India came close to avoiding an innings defeat against England.
Shafali Verma blasted 11 fours and a six in the second innings as she became the youngest player in women’s cricket history to hit twin fifties on Test debut. Previously, Australia’s Jess Jonassen record of scoring two half-centuries on debut when she was 22 years old in 2015. Shafali is 17 years of age.
England’s Leslie Cook (72 and 117, vs India in 1986), Sri Lanka’s Vanessa Bowen (78 and 63, vs Pakistan in 1998) and Australia’s Jess Jonassen (99 and 54, vs England in 2015) were the other players to score two fifty-plus scores on Test debut.
Shafali is on par with the men when it comes to an even bigger achievement in Indian men’s cricket. She is the fourth Indian after Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Lala Amarnath to have scored 150 runs on Test debut. Dhawan had scored 187 runs against Australia in 2013 at Mohali. Rohit Sharma scored 177 runs against West Indies in 2013 when he made his debut in Kolkata. Lala Amarnath scored 156 (28 and 128) against England in Mumbai in 1933.
India women’s team, who are playing a Test after seven years, are on the cusp of saving the match against England. The hosts had reached 396/9 declared with Heather Knight, the skipper smashing 95. Tammy Beaumont had hit 66 while youngster Sophia Dunkley hit 74. Sneh Rana took 4/131 to put in a fine performance.
In response, India started brilliantly with Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma smashing aggressive fifties. Their 167-run partnership helped lay a solid base for India. However, when Shafali fell for 96, Mandhana also missed out as she was dismissed for 78. India collapsed as they lost six wickets for eight runs. Deepti Sharma hit 29 but India were bowled out for 231, with England leading by 165 runs.
After Sophie Ecclestone’s 4/88, India were asked to follow on. The third day was impacted by rain but on the fourth day, India once again made a solid start. Shafali started well but Mandhana fell cheaply.
While the first day of the ICC World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand was washed out, play resumed on the second day. New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill started confidently on a pitch that was green and with overhead conditions.
Rohit looked in fine form while Shubman was solid. However, Rohit was undone by a fine catch from Tim Southee as Kyle Jamieson took the wicket. After Shubman was hit on the head by a bouncer, Neil Wagner got the wicket of Shubman for 28. At the lunch break, India were 69/2, with Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara still at the crease.
