Shafali Verma Reflects on Winning U19 Women’s WC as Captain: One of the Best Moments of Her Career

New Delhi: Opener Shafali Verma has called captaining India to victory in the inaugural U19 Women’s World Cup one of the best moments of her cricketing career.

Verma led India to triumph in the tournament held in South Africa in January 2023. The talented batter scored 172 runs across the competition and helped her team secure a seven-wicket win over England in the final.

A Dream Come True

“Representing India in itself is a great honour. Being chosen to captain the Indian cricket team was icing on the cake, honestly. I was fortunate to have some of the finest talent in the age-group cricket from back home at my disposal,” Verma said.

Leading the team was more about camaraderie and ensuring the team remained in high spirits while playing together, Verma added. She said that winning the first-ever Women’s U19 World Cup remains one of the proudest moments of her career, a memory she will cherish forever.

“It is safe to say that I was pretty emotional as we were about to lift that trophy and started to celebrate a special triumph,” she shared.

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A Platform for Young Talents

With the second ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup scheduled to take place in Malaysia from January 18 to February 2, Verma sees this tournament as an ideal stage for young cricketers to showcase their talent.

“It is a massive help to play in a tournament like this. It is a big opportunity to showcase your talent on the world stage. It has all the potential to fast track some of the young and promising cricketers to represent their respective countries with the senior teams,” said the 20-year-old.

Verma added that the U19 Women’s World Cup serves as a crucial learning ground for young players, helping them sharpen their skills and make a name for themselves on the global stage.

Importance of the U19 Women’s Tournament

Verma also emphasized the importance of having a U19 Women’s tournament as part of the ICC major events calendar. With more age-group tournaments being added, she believes this creates a healthy competition that benefits both the age-group and senior sides.

“There is healthy competition and that always is a welcome sign. The U19 Women’s tournament structure is a need of the hour as it also acts as a crucial segway to move into the senior sides,” Verma stated.

A Bright Future for Young Talent

As teams from countries like Nepal, Nigeria, Samoa, Scotland, and the United States join the tournament, Verma expressed her best wishes for the next generation of players. She encouraged the young cricketers participating in the tournament to enjoy the experience and seize the opportunity.

“My message for everyone going to be a part of this year’s tournament is very simple: enjoy this experience and make the most of it. This could just be a start for something bigger but live in the moment and enjoy the process,” Verma concluded.