Shafali Verma smashes record of fastest double-century
Indian women’s cricket witnessed a historic day on Friday as young prodigy Shafali Verma etched her name in the record books. In a one-off Test match against South Africa in Chennai, Shafali became the fastest double centurion (scoring 200 runs) in the history of women’s Test cricket.
The 20-year-old batting sensation achieved this feat in style, reaching the milestone in just 194 balls. This surpasses the previous record of 248 balls held by Australian batter Annabel Sutherland, set earlier this year against the same South African team. Shafali’s knock was a display of pure power and aggression, featuring 23 boundaries (fours) and a whopping eight towering sixes.
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Shafali’s achievement doesn’t stop there. She became only the second Indian woman cricketer to score a double century in Test cricket. The first was the legendary Mithali Raj, who achieved this feat 22 years ago against England.
Shafali wasn’t alone in dominating the South African bowlers. Her opening partner, the experienced Smriti Mandhana, played a crucial role in setting the tone for India’s strong start. Smriti Mandhana smashed a brilliant 149 runs off 161 balls, featuring 27 boundaries and one six.
🤯 Fastest double-hundred in women's Tests by Shafali Verma!
🔥 Third 💯 in four matches for Smriti Mandhana.
💥 292 – Record-highest opening stand in women's Tests.India openers gave an incredible start in Chennai against South Africa!#INDvSA | 🔗: https://t.co/WGsjkNw98R pic.twitter.com/814ZYKAOGp
— ICC (@ICC) June 28, 2024
Together, Shafali and Smriti stitched up a phenomenal opening partnership of 292 runs in just 52 overs. This, too, is a record-breaking feat, surpassing the previous highest opening stand of 241 runs set by Pakistan in 2004.
Shafali’s unfortunate run-out at 205 runs (off 197 balls) ended her extraordinary innings. While she fell short of the highest individual score in Women’s Tests (held by Pakistan’s Kiran Baluch with 242 runs), her knock has put the Indian team in a commanding position.
With a strong showing from both openers and a score of over 500 runs on the board on the first day itself, India has put immense pressure on South Africa. The Proteas bowlers will have their work cut out for them as the Test match progresses.
Shafali Verma’s knock is a testament to her talent and potential. At a young age, she has already established herself as a force to be reckoned with in women’s cricket. Her aggressive batting style and ability to score quickly make her a valuable asset to the Indian team.
This record-breaking performance from Shafali Verma will surely inspire young girls across India to take up cricket and dream big. With more such talents emerging, the future of Indian women’s cricket looks bright.
