World Cup semis: Can Shafali Verma be the X-factor against the mighty Aussies?

It’s not every day that a team sends an SoS to a batter who is not even in the list of stand-bys for the ICC World Cup semi-final.

This is the importance of being Shafali Verma, the chubby 21-year-old that the Indian team management has flown in as an injury replacement for in-form opener Pratika Rawal, ahead of the semi-final against Alyssa Healy & Co. tomorrow, 30 October.

No prizes for guessing that the Indian team management would like to bank on the X-factor that the explosive Verma can bring to the table to rattle the experienced Australian attack. During the Indian team’s stop–start journey to the semi-finals, the strike rate of the top order has been a major source of concern and it was almost ironical that Rawal — the most consistent batter in the side — was often at the receiving end of the criticism.

As the freak injury to Rawal in an inconsequential match against Bangladesh (she hurt her ankle and knee while trying to stop a boundary) ended her World Cup dreams, the selectors parachuted in Verma, pulling her out of a domestic T20 game.

The same boom-or-bust approach that cost the Delhi sportswoman her place in the ODI team may now come in handy. There is certainly a rising clamour to send her higher up the order with vice-captain and prolific run-getter Smriti Mandhana to exploit the power play.

It’s not that India doesn’t have other opener options to replace Rawal for the crunch game against the virtual Invincibles of women’s cricket — it has the likes of Uma Chhetry, Harleen Deol and the versatile Jemimah Rodrigues. All-rounder Amanjot Kaur was the one who opened in place of an injured Rawal on 26 October, Sunday; but it’s quite likely that Verma will be the preferred choice this time.

The media on duty to cover the India team’s practice at D.Y.Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on 28 October, Tuesday, were privy to Verma having a go at the nets — first taking the throwdowns with a defensive bat and then going for big shots like the lofted drives, taps and reverse sweeps. She batted in rotation with Deol, with captain Harmanpreet and Smriti Mandhana both keeping a close eye on her.

Having earned the sobriquet of a ‘women’s Sehwag’ in the making, Verma — hailed already as a prodigious talent — is not new to the big league. This will be her second 50-overs World Cup, and she has appeared in three T20 World Cups too, including one final in Melbourne in 2020, alongside her 29 ODIs.

Indeed, the snub for the World Cup might have come as a wake-up call for the youngster, who has tasted modest success in this format.  

Her sequence of scores since August, while opening the batting for India A in three 50-over games against Australia in Queensland, was 52, 4 and 35. She also opened for India A in a World Cup warm-up game against New Zealand in Bengaluru late in September, hitting 70 off 49 deliveries.

Speaking of the road ahead for Verma right after she was dropped, former women’s head coach W.V. Raman — a staunch backer of her uninhibited style — had said: ‘’I would encourage her not to let her go of her basic style and attitude; it’s unique. She shouldn’t try and become a good imitation of somebody. She can be a No. 2 original, which is fantastic, rather than being a No. 1 imitation of somebody.’’

Looking at the bigger picture, a lot will again depend on the two senior pros, however — captain Harmanpreet Kaur, whose unbeaten 171 in a winning cause against the Yellow Shirts in 2017 semi-final is regarded as one of the finest ODI innings ever, and Smriti Mandhana.

However, a blazing start from Verman could give the Women in Blue a headstart they can do with in a big game such as this.

Catch the match

ICC Women’s World Cup semi-final

India vs Australia

Venue: DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai

 Start: 3:00 p.m. IST