Decoding Shafali Verma's lean patch in Women's T20Is
India's batting sensation Shafali Verma bagged a duck in the opening Women's T20I against Bangladesh. She could only last three balls as pacer Marufa Akter trapped her in front of the wickets in the opening over of India's innings. Notably, Shafali has struggled to contribute significantly in recent times. Here we decode her lean patch in the shortest format since 2021.
Why does this story matter?
Shafali is one of the most dangerous openers going around as she backs herself to attack the best of the bowlers. Her brilliance at the top has given India many blistering starts. However, in recent times, she has not been among many runs. With the ICC Women's T20 World Cup taking place next year, Team India would want her to regain form soon.
Poor run in WT20 WC 2023
The 2023 Women's T20 WC in February was Team India's preceding assignment. Shafali struggled to get going throughout the tournament as she could only manage 102 runs in five games at 20.39. Moreover, her strike rate was also a paltry 108.51. The batter's highest score read 33. Notably, India were knocked out by Australia in the semi-final.
Her run since 2021
Since the start of 2021, Shafali's average and strike rate have significantly dropped. As per ESPNcricinfo, the batter has returned with just 846 runs in 38 WT20Is in this period at 22.26. The tally includes three fifties. Moreover, her strike rate is just 124.59. The 19-year-old has bagged as many as three ducks in this period.
A look at her overall WT20I numbers
Shafali, who made her WT20I debut in 2019, was once the top-ranked batter in the format. So far, she has since clobbered 1,333 runs across 57 matches for India Women. She averages 23.8 and strikes at a healthy rate of 131.71. The dasher has struck five half-centuries, with a personal best of 73 versus West Indies.
