India’s batting legend Sachin Tendulkar and BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) officials felicitated the triumphant Shafali Verma-led Indian team, which recently won the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa. It may be recalled that the Indian girls had defeated England by seven wickets in the final at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom.
The batting maestro Tendulkar along with BCCI President Roger Binny and Secretary Jay Shah presented the Indian girls with a cheque of Rs 5 crore, ahead of the third and deciding India-New Zealand T20I match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Wednesday. Also present on the occasion was BCCI Treasurer Ashish Shelar and Vice-President Rajiv Shukla.
“I take this opportunity to congratulate the young India team for their title glory at the ICC Under-19 Women’s World Cup. The team created history by winning the coveted trophy in the inaugural edition of the tournament and the team’s achievement has set a benchmark and has given a dream to young girls in India, to play for the country,” Tendulkar, the world’s leading run-scorer in both ODI and Test cricket, said at the function in front of the large gathering at the iconic stadium.
Later, the members of the winning under-19 team were driven in four open jeeps as they did a lap of honour around the stadium, during the innings breaks. They received a huge roar of cheer from the appreciative spectators.
Right-handed batter Shweta Sehrawat and leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra, both played crucial roles in India emerging champions. Sehrawat finished as the leading run-scorer of the tournament. The aggressive batter scored 297 runs from seven matches at an average of 99 and a strike-rate of 139.43 with three half-centuries and a top score of 92 not out. Indian skipper Shafali also played her part by finishing third in the list of top run-getters. She scored 172 runs from seven matches at an average of 24.57 and a strike-rate of 193.25 with a top score of 78. Grace Scrivens of England was the second highest run-scorer with 293 runs from 7 matches.
Chopra was also impressive as she finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in the championship. The spinner accounted for 11 scalps from six matches at an economy rate of 3.66 with a four-wicket haul to her name. Australian Maggie Clarck was the leading wicket-taker with 12 wickets and with an economy rate of 4.2 and her best of 3 wickets for 15 runs.