Overview
- India beat South Africa by 52 runs in Navi Mumbai to clinch their first ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, with Verma scoring 87 off 78 and taking 2 for 36, and she was named Player of the Final.
- Drafted in as an injury replacement for Pratika Rawal before the knockouts, she managed only 10 in the semifinal and says she endured sleepless, anxious nights before the title match.
- Verma explains that rain left a tacky surface at DY Patil Stadium, so she focused on playing along the ground and keeping her batting plan uncomplicated.
- She says her bowling confidence came from domestic overs, and in the final she kept it simple by attacking the stumps to add two crucial wickets.
- Calling the opening-slot contest with Rawal healthy, Verma says the victory can boost recognition for women’s cricket and expresses hope for more red-ball fixtures from the BCCI.