Shafali Verma bags hat-trick in U-23 Trophy
What's the story
Indian batter Shafali Verma made headlines by bagging a hat-trick against Karnataka in the Women's Under-23 Trophy pre-quarterfinal.
The match was held in Guwahati where she guided Haryana to victory.
The achievement comes after a tough phase for Verma who was dropped from national selectors' list for white-ball cricket after a dismal outing at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup last year.
Match highlights
Verma's hat-trick and Haryana's victory
In the aforementioned U23 Women's Trophy match, Verma displayed her all-round prowess while leading Haryana.
As Karnataka piled on runs, Verma resorted to bowling part-time spin - a skill that has fetched her 12 international wickets.
In the 44th over, she dismissed Saloni P and Soumya Verma on successive deliveries.
She completed her hat-trick by dismissing Namita D'Souza on the first ball of the 46th over.
Verma finished with 4/20 across three overs as Karnataka were folded for 217/10.
Match conclusion
Haryana's chase and victory
Despite Verma's early dismissal for just 18 runs off 12 balls, Haryana went on to win by six wickets with eight balls to spare.
This was largely thanks to half-centuries from Sonia Mendhiya and Tanisha Ohlan and a quick-fire innings by Triveni Vasistha.
Verma's hat-trick in this match also marks an important milestone- it's the first in 50-over cricket for Indian women during the 2024-25 season.
WPL success
Shafali Verma's remarkable performance in WPL
Despite her international cricket setback, Verma showcased her talent in the recently concluded Women's Premier League (WPL).
She was the fourth-highest run-getter, scoring a whopping 304 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of over 152.
She also hit 16 sixes, second only to Gujarat Giants captain Ashleigh Gardner's record.
This success further established Verma as a key player in women's cricket.