Mumbai : Indian opener Shafali Verma opened up on representing her country, saying that playing the sport for India is quite "emotional and happiest feeling" for him.
Shafali made her international debut in 2019 and is set to play in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in the UAE this year. Verma, one of the finest openers for India in all formats, said to Star Sports, "It is a big thing for me, from where I have come to play for our country is a big thing, a big honour for me.
Wearing the India T-shirt is quite emotional and the happiest feeling as well. Right now, I am thinking about how good I can do for my team and for my country. I have got the T-shirt, but I am focused on how I can carry it and how proud I can make them feel."
In five Test and 10 innings, Shafali has scored 567 runs at an average of 63.00 and a strike rate of over 74, with a century and three fifties. Her best score is 205. In 26 ODIs, she has scored 588 runs at an average of 23.52, with four half-centuries. Her best score is 71*.
Shafali has also played 81 T20Is since she made her international debut with this format back in 2019, scoring 1,948 runs at an average of 25.63 and a strike rate of over 130, with 10 half-centuries. His best score is 81.
India has named their squad for the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup, starting on October 3. India will kickstart their campaign against New Zealand on October 4, with the arch-rivals Pakistan clash set for October 6. The Women in Blue, who reached the semi-finals in the previous edition, is placed in Group A of the competition along with Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
In the T20 WC last year, Australia defeated South Africa at their home by 19 runs to win their sixth title. Meanwhile, India made it to the semifinals, losing to the Aussies by five runs.
Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajana Sajeevan
Traveling reserves: Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Saima Thakor Non-Travelling Reserves: Raghvi Bist, Priya Mishra.