Shafali Verma will play her fiftieth T20I when India squares off in opposition to Australia on the Brabourne Stadium on Saturday. The visiting workforce enjoys a 2-1 lead within the five-match collection, and forward of a digital collection decider, Shafali revealed that she enjoys taking part in in opposition to Australia probably the most because it usually reminds her of the boys’s workforce.
“When I play against Australia, it feels like I’m playing against men, because their game is like that. If they see a small mistake that you are making, they will take advantage of it. So we have to be on top of our game against them,” Shafali mentioned on Friday.
“You can’t make mistakes against them. You have to play your best shots, which you are confident about. I learnt a lot while playing against Australia. I love playing against them. Aisa lagta hai ki ladkon ke sath hi khel rahe hain (it seems you are playing against a men’s team),” she mentioned.
After breaking into the Indian workforce in 2019, Shafali has thus far performed 13 T20Is in opposition to the Aussies, amassing 283 runs, at a mean of 21.76. While she has had good begins prior to now, her solely fifty (within the T20I format) in opposition to Australia got here on Wednesday, when she scored 52 within the third match.
“When I hit a four (against the Aussies), I get boosted, and feel that I’ve improved as a player, because Australia is the best side (in women’s cricket). I’m always happy when I hit (boundaries) off the Australian (bowlers). I don’t get so much happiness when I hit boundaries against England or any other team,” the teen mentioned with a smile.
MORE DETAILS:Shafali Verma: Playing in opposition to Australia appears like I’m taking part in in opposition to males
During India’s 173-run chase in opposition to Australia within the third girls’s T20I, Shafali and captain Harmanpreet had solid a 73-run partnership in 54 balls for the third wicket. With the 2 high quality batters taking the Australian bowlers to the cleaners, there have been hopes of a turnaround.
But as stress mounted, Shafali appeared to drag a size ball away earlier than ending up providing a somewhat straightforward catch to Ashleigh Gardner. Her dismissal was the turning level of the match. “We were playing well, but the situation was such that we had to take risks. We were 30 runs behind, and that situation demanded that you had to go for shots if there was a loose ball. That shot usually goes for six, but on that day, unfortunately I lost my wicket,” she mentioned.
India had managed to drag off an exciting win through Super Over in a high-scoring second T20I on the DY Patil Stadium final week, however Shafali said that the wicket at Brabourne Stadium is totally different to the one in Navi Mumbai. “This wicket is not similar to the one at the DY Patil Stadium. Bowlers are generating good swing on this wicket, but we really can’t give excuses. We are working on the singles under the guidance of the batting coach. Day by day, we are improving,” she mentioned.