Shafali Verma struck a commanding 53 off 34 balls to drive India to a comfortable five-wicket victory over Bangladesh in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup at Old Trafford, Manchester, on 25 June. The opener was named Player of the Match after her innings — laced with eight boundaries and a six — helped India chase down 137 in just 16.5 overs.

Shafali's Match-Winning Knock

Verma's half-century arrived off just 29 balls, giving India a blistering Powerplay start and helping the side post their highest-ever Powerplay score in Women's T20 World Cup history. She was in complete command throughout her stay, consistently finding gaps and punishing anything short or full. Her dismissal — stumped in the ninth over after straying outside the crease — was the only blemish on an otherwise dominant display.

'Very happy the way I batted today. But if I am out there, that will make me so happy. But yeah, good confidence today and so happy I can grab some runs,' Verma said after receiving the award.

What Shafali Said About Her Approach

Verma credited a clear, uncomplicated mindset for her fluency at the crease. 'Well, just try to choose the right ball. Whatever comes in my zone, just go for that. Otherwise, take a single. It's just a very simple thing, but sometimes it's complicated a lot. But I just talked to myself a lot this time, and yeah, it's going good and so happy for that,' she explained.

On the team's chase strategy, she kept it equally straightforward: 'Nothing much, just backing our batting. Just whatever loose ball will come, we'll just go for the four or maybe six, or otherwise we'll go for one run. So it's just a normal talk, not a different thing.'

Bowling Responsibility and Captain's Role

Beyond her batting, Verma has also shouldered bowling duties during the tournament. She credited captain Harmanpreet Kaur for consistently backing her with the ball. 'Whatever team needs, I'm there for that. And thanks to Harman, she always gives me a lot of confidence when I bowl, and gives me a very good field set,' Verma said.

India's All-Round Effort Against Bangladesh

Earlier, India's bowlers had restricted Bangladesh to 136/8. Radha Yadav led the attack with figures of 3/28, while Shree Charani claimed two wickets and became the first Indian woman to take 12 wickets in a single edition of the Women's T20 World Cup. For Bangladesh, opener Juairiya Ferdous made 33 and captain Nigar Sultana top-scored with 32.

Verma's explosive start was complemented by useful contributions from Yastika Bhatia and Jemimah Rodrigues, who helped India cross the line with ease. With this win, India continue to build momentum in the tournament ahead of tougher challenges in the knockout stages.