Visakhapatnam, Dec 23 (NationPress) Indian opener Shafali Verma revealed that her performance has significantly improved as she has embraced her weaknesses, transforming her into a more confident and cohesive batter. Verma was named Player of the Match after leading India to a seven-wicket win in the second T20I against Sri Lanka, achieving an impressive score of 69 not out off just 34 balls.

Reflecting on her past inconsistencies and technical challenges that had previously led to her exclusion from the World Cup final squad, she stated, "Cricket always teaches you things. Accepting your weaknesses is crucial for improvement. The ball was gripping a bit early on, so I focused on playing grounded shots and accumulating singles. The opposition bowled well initially. It was a solid contest," Shafali commented after the match at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam.

She acknowledged the influence of head coach Amol Muzumdar on her strategy, especially in conditions where the pitch was not conducive to aggressive play. "The coach advised me to focus on playing along the ground at first before attempting aerial shots. I maintained my composure, played along the ground, and found the ball coming onto the bat nicely. I know I can score runs if I stick to the basics," she added.

Shafali made a remarkable comeback to the Indian squad for the ODI World Cup semifinals and final after Pratika Rawal was injured, where she scored a match-winning half-century and took two wickets in the final against South Africa.

Earlier, India opted to bowl first and faced early challenges from Sri Lanka's captain Chamari Athapaththu, who started aggressively and consistently found boundaries during the PowerPlay. Unlike the first T20I, where she was dismissed cheaply, Athapaththu showed great form.

However, the introduction of Sneh Rana shifted the momentum. Stepping in for an unwell Deepti Sharma, Rana bowled with precision, conceding just 11 runs in her four overs while dismissing Athapaththu, which hampered Sri Lanka's progress.

Once Athapaththu was out, Sri Lanka's innings faltered again. Harshitha Samarawickrama demonstrated promise but lacked support as the Indian spinners tightened their grip. Vaishnavi Sharma was economical and took key wickets, while Sree Charani bounced back from a poor opening match to claim two dismissals. Three run-outs further impacted Sri Lanka, restricting them to a score that fell short against India's formidable batting lineup.

India's chase faced an early hiccup with Smriti Mandhana dismissed for just 16, but Shafali quickly took command. She capitalized on any short or loose deliveries, confidently attacking both spin and pace. Inoka Ranaweera and Shashini Gimhani bore the brunt of her onslaught, while Chamari Athapaththu conceded 4, 6, and 4 in the final over of the PowerPlay. Jemimah Rodrigues provided solid support, scoring quickly against the spinners as India sailed to victory in the 12th over.