India on Sunday won their maiden ICC title in women's cricket as a bunch of sprightly and talented teenagers lifted the inaugural U-19 World Cup with an emphatic seven-wicket victory over England. (More Cricket News)
꧟The Shafali Verma-led India U-19 squad managed to do what their seniors could not do 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.
✱"It is just a proud moment, it's our first world cup," said Trisha with stumps in hand after the memorable win.
🌟The win on Sunday also reaffirms India's dominance at the U-19 level with the boys winning the world title in the Caribbean last year.
𓆉India's bowling attack, led by pacer Titas Sadhu and supported by leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra, set up the comprehensive win on Sunday as they blew England away with a clinical display at Senwes Park.
💧While Sadhu showed that Indian women pace bowling is in safe hands following the retirement of Jhulan Goswami with impressive figures of 4-0-6-2, Chopra too continued her dream run as she snapped two for 13.
♈Archana Devi also scalped 2 for 17, while Mannat Kashyap (1/13), Shafali(1/16) and Sonam Yadav (1/3) accounted for one wicket each as England were all at sea after being asked to take first strike.
⛎Following a pep talk from India's Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, India came out with a specific plan and executed it perfectly as England's innings never really took off after being reduced to 16 for three in four overs.
💜Chasing 69, Shafali started with a boundary off Hannah Baker before launching Sophia Smale for a maximum. But Baker came back to get rid of the India skipper, who was caught by Alexa Stonehouse in the 3rd over.
🍬Her opening and team's best batter in the tournament, Shweta Sehrawat, also was back in the hut after giving a simple catch to Baker off Grace Scrivens in the fourth over.
𓄧Soumya Tiwari (24 not out) and Gongadi Trisha (24) then dug their heels in with a 46-run partnership.
𒅌With four runs needed, Trisha was cleaned up by Stonehouse, as Tiwari knocked off the winning runs.
🌊Besides Shafali, Richa Ghosh was the other international cricketer in the U-19 squad.
🉐Earlier, Sadhu bowled 20 dot balls in her quota of four overs. She struck in the fourth ball of the innings with a superb caught and bowled effort to get rid of Liberty Heap (0).
🃏Spinner Archana then cleaned up Niamh Fiona Holland (10), while Gongadi Trisha pulled off a sensational catch to get rid of Grace Scrivens (4) to hand Archana her second wicket.
🌠Sadhu could have added another wicket to her name but senior pro Richa dropped a regulation catch of Ryana Macdonald Gay, who had edged an away going ball.
📖The Bengal pacer, however, didn't have to wait longer as she went through the gates of Seren Smale (3) next.
🅺Macdonald Gay played a couple of hits to the fence to ease the pressure but in-form leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra then got into the act, trapping Charis Pavely (2) infront of wicket as England lost half their side for 39 in 10 overs.
𓄧Left-arm spinner Kashyap also kept things tight at the other end as Chopra removed Macdonald Gay with Archana taking a superb one-handed catch with a full dive at extra cover. India's fielding was exemplary in the big game.
ꦆWith England at 46 for 6 in 12 overs, skipper Shafali brought herself in but Alexa Stonehouse hit her for a rare boundary.
ꦫSoumya was then in action as her direct hit found Josephine Groves short by a big margin, leaving England at 53 for 7.
⭕Shafali and Richa then combined to pile further misery on England with the latter producing a stumping effort. Kashyap then removed Stonehouse with Sonam taking a dolly at cover.
