'Shafali Verma is a rockstar'- Virender Sehwag hails India Women for booking their place in T20 World Cup semi-final

The Women in Blue continued with their imperious run in the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup by becoming the first team in the competition to book their place into the semi-finals after they pulled off a nervy three-run win over New Zealand.

This is Team India’s second successive win over the White Ferns’ in T20 World Cups and their first since the 0-3 whitewash that they suffered back in early 2019. It got tricky in the end with Amelia Kerr launching a stunning counter-attack against Poonam Yadav and Shikha Pandey in the last two overs of the White Ferns’ run-chase but Pandey held on to her nerved on the last delivery of the 20th over, to eek out a three-run at the Junction Oval.

Virender Sehwag hails ‘superstar’ Shafali Verma

The whole county is ecstatic by the performance of the Women in Blue and so is former Indian swashbuckler Virender Sehwag. Hailing Shafali Verma as a superstar, Sehwag congratulated Team India for qualifying in the semi-finals in his typical manner when he said– “Wah bhai Wah ! Great effort by the girls to hold on to their nerves and beat New Zealand and qualify for the semi finals of the T20WorldCup. Shafali Varma is a rockstar. Anand aa raha hai ladkiyon ka performance dekhne mein.”

Wah bhai Wah ! Great effort by the girls to hold on to their nerves and beat New Zealand and qualify for the semi finals of the #T20WorldCup
Shafali Varma is a rockstar. Anand aa raha hai ladkiyon ka performance dekhne mein. pic.twitter.com/euq2368NTF

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) February 27, 2020

As always the win was set-up by the swashbuckling opener Shafali Verma, who once again blazed her way to 46 off 34 balls– an innings which included four fours and three monstrous sixes. But India’s middle-order ruddle once again led to them squandering a good start and finally finishing with an underwhelming 8-133.

But the bowlers once again came to the fore with Poonam Yadav and Deepti Sharma claiming the all-important wickets of Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates to land a body blow to the White Ferns, to ultimately pull-off a three-run-win.

Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman also took to Twitter where he hailed Shafali and the Indian bowlers for defending 133.

“Congratulations @BCCIWomen on a wonderful win against New Zealand and qualify for the semifinals. The bowlers were excellent in defending 132 and Shafali Varma has been absolutely top class for India. Well done girls. #T20WorldCup,” Laxman tweeted.

Congratulations @BCCIWomen on a wonderful win against New Zealand and qualifying for the semifinals. The bowlers were excellent in defending 132 and Shafali Varma has been absolutely top class for India. Well done girls. #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/SeM02h601T

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) February 27, 2020