Star Indian cricketer Shafali Verma has said that her team is ‘trying hard’ to play good cricket, but the Thailand bowlers deserve a lot of credit for restricting them to a below-par 159, even as India pulled off a brilliant 94-run win at the Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday, August 30.
Shafali smashed eight fours and three sixes in her 36-ball innings before Thailand’s spinners, led by Suleeporn Laomi’s three-for, sparked an inexplicable collapse to restrict the seven-time champions to 159/9.
But the total proved more than enough as Thailand were bowled out for just 65 in 16.1 overs. Deepti Sharma, featuring in her landmark 150th T20I, starred with three wickets in seven balls without conceding a run, taking her tally to 171 wickets and becoming the outright
leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is.
“It is just cricket, in the end. I know we have to grow and we are just trying hard to show good cricket in the middle. We have practised hard for that, but just credit to the Thailand bowlers,” Shafali said while speaking at the post-match press conference.
Shafali welcomed the progress of teams such as Thailand and the UAE as well, saying that regular international exposure would help them develop further.
“As a team, we are so happy with the way women’s cricket is growing and the way they are improving. Hats off to them. I would say to them, just keep working hard,” Shafali said.
“We are all so happy just seeing the improvement in women’s cricket,” Shafali added.
Meanwhile, Deepti, who became just the third Indian after Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana to reach 150 T20I appearances, had earlier moved level with Thailand’s Thipatcha Putthawong on 170 wickets.
Deepti claimed two wickets in the ninth over to leave Thailand in deep trouble at 44/6.
Deepti returned for the 17th over and struck with her first ball, dismissing wicketkeeper-batter Nannapat Koncharoenkai, who top-scored for Thailand with a 41-run innings.
The wicket capped a brilliant spell from Deepti.
