IND W vs SA W | Twitter impressed as Harmanpreet uses Shafali Verma as surprise weapon to jolt Proteas

‌India put on a formidable 298/7 after being asked to bat by South Africa in the final of the Women’s ODI World Cup in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma shone with the bat, scoring crucial half-centuries to power the hosts to a strong position at half-time.

Shafali top-scored for India with a 78-ball 87, including seven fours and two sixes, while Deepti made a run-a-ball 58 even as medium pacer Ayabonga Khaka finished with 3/58 in her nine-over spell.

In reply, the Proteas got off to a good start with openers Laura Wolvaardt and Tazmin Brits adding 51 runs inside 10 overs. But after the loss of two quick wickets the Proteas recovered well again with the Proteas skipper Wolvaardt and Sune Luus adding another 50-plus partnership.

In an out-of-the-box move, captain Harmanpreet Kaur introduced part-timer Shafali into the attack with the hope of breaking the dangerous partnership. And the off-spinner did not disappoint as she sent back Luus after taking a soft caught and bowled chance in just her second ball.

She was not done yet as she dismissed big fish Marizanne Kapp in her next to reduce them to 123/4. It was a night where all that Shafali touched was turning into gold and Harmanpreet’s clever bowling change worked wonders for the side.

Twitter was impressed as Shafali, who had just one wicket in ODIs before this game, came to the party at the right time. By her admission, she was sent by god to play in the knockouts of the big-ticket event and she was putting that opportunity to full use, with bat and ball as well.

What a moment!

What a moment! 😍🤩👌🏻 introduced  into bowling & she gets the wicket of Luus! 🫡👏🏻 Final 👉 , LIVE NOW 👉  

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) 

No wrong at all

shafali can do no wrong today lmaoo

— Transponster Jay (@Jay_KD77) 

Shifu strikes

SHAFALI VERMA STRIKES IN THE VERY FIRST OVER! 💥



The true X-factor in this World Cup Final — she lit up Navi Mumbai earlier with the bat, and now delivers a crucial breakthrough with the ball. 🇮🇳🔥  

— Abhisek Gupta (@ABHISTRONG) 

Wow

11 runs in Radha’s 1st over.



5 runs and 1 wicket of set batter in Shafali’s over. 😎 

— Bleed Blue (@CricCrazyVeena) 

Definitely

Shafali verma god has definitely sent you here to change the history

— Reetesh Shrivastava (@ReeteshShr55285) 

Unreal performance

Earlier with the bat, now with the ball - Shafali Verma gets the breakthrough India needed desperately !!     

— Gaurav Sharma (@GauravS95826496) 

Only 14 overs

Only 14 overs bowled in her 30 odis played by  let that sink in and when it matters most comes in and takes a wicket looked better than Radha with ball

— Battleground-K (@battleground_k) 

Incredible

My words what a gamble by Harmanpreet Kaur.. Shafali Varma takes a huge wicket of Sune Luus

— Shoaib Niazi 🇵🇸 (@ShoaibNiaziUN) 

Good one

Good bowling change by Harmanpreet 👏👏 Brought in Shafali and she took a wicket 🔥🔥

— Mahi (@Mahi27238905) 

She meant it

When Shafali Verma came into the World Cup as a replacement, she said that God had sent her to do something special and now we all know what she meant.



Everything she’s touching today is turning into gold.

— Shivani Shukla (@iShivani_Shukla)