This is just the beginning: Shafali

30: Not content with the U-19 T20 World Cup triumph, batting sensation Shafali Verma has already set her sights on replicating the success with the senior women’s team in less than two weeks’ time. She will get her chance when the Women’s T20 World Cup gets underway from February 10 in South Africa, the same country where the country just won the inaugural U-19 world tournament.

Shafali, 19, has already established herself in India’s senior side and wants to make the visit to South Africa even more memorable with another silverware.

“No, the big one also,” Shafali said when asked if the U-19 trophy was the only one she was hoping to take back from South Africa.

“I am someone who focuses on task at hand. When I entered the Under19s, I only focused on winning the Under-19 Cup and we have won that today (Sunday).

“I will look to take this winning confidence with me and win the senior World Cup. I will try and forget this and get involved with the senior setup and gel with the team and win the World Cup,” she was quoted as saying by the ICC.

India on Sunday won their maiden ICC title in women’s cricket as a bunch of supremely talented teenagers lifted the inaugural U-19 World Cup with a seven-wicket victory over England.

The Shafali-led India squad managed to do what their seniors could not by clearing the final hurdle in a global event.

India first bundled out England for 68 in 17.1 overs and then returned to knock off the paltry target in 14 overs to lift the coveted trophy.

Shafali was part of India’s squad that fell at the final hurdle at the 2020 T20 World Cup, when Australia defeated the side by 85 runs in front of more than 85,000 fans at the MCG. She said she still feels the pain from the loss. “Melbourne was a very emotional day for me in that final game, we didn’t win the game.”

VERMA IN WC TEAM OF TOURNAMENT

Meanwhile, Three Indian cricketers — Shafali, her opening partner Shweta Sehrawat and leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra were on Monday named in the ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup team of the tournament. Led by England’s Grace Scrivens, the team also comprises two more English woman in Hannah Baker and Ellie Anderson, New Zealand’s Georgia Plimmer, Sri Lanka’s Dewmi Vihanga, Bangladesh’s Shorna Akter, South Africa’s Karabo Meso, Maggie Clark of Australia and Anosha Nasir of Pakistan.