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ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup: Clinical Indian girls hammer England by 7 wickets to lift inaugural title

ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup: India eves chased down a target of 69 runs for the loss of three wickets and defeated England by 7 wickets to lift the inaugural U19 Women's T20 WC trophy.

india u19 girls

Potchefstroom, Jan 29: The Indian U-19 Women's Cricket Team on Sunday (January 29) created history by defeating England by seven wickets to lift the maiden ICC U-19 Women's T20 World Cup 2023.

The Shafali Verma-led side was chasing a below-par total of 69 runs in the all-important final and reached home in 14 overs with 36 balls to spare. The English side was undefeated in the tournament and they were no match to Indian eves.

India U19 team creates history in ICC T20 World Cup 2023

In what became a lopsided contest from the start, India lost in-form openers cheaply in the paltry run chase. Captain Shafali (15) and her deputy Shweta Sehrawat (5) were dismissed inside four overs but the Indian girls never felt the pressure of the scoreboard and overhauled it comfortably.

Gongadi Trisha (24 off 29 balls) was the third wicket to perish when the Indians needed just three more runs to win the game. But Soumya Tiwari (24* off 37 balls) helped the Girls in Blue cross the winning line. Tiwari and Trisha dug their heels in with a 46-run partnership. Trisha was cleaned up by Stonehouse but Tiwari scored the winning runs.

Earlier in the day, Titas Sadhu (2/6), Archana Devi (2/17) and Parshavi Chopra (2/13) picked up two wickets each while Mannat Kashyap (1/13), Shafali Verma (1/16) and Sonam Yadav (1/3) bagged one wicket apiece and rattled England's batting line-up.

india u19 girls

Only Niamh Holland (10), Ryana Macdonald Gay (19), Alexa Stonehouse (11), and Sophia Smale (11) were the four batters who touched the double digits with the bat in England's innings.

Reacting to India's win, Nooshin Al Khadeer, Head coach of India said, "Fabulous (the feeling). This is the feeling we have been waiting for a very long (time). This is the first time we won the cup and it has come with the U-19 kids. Just shows the kind of depth we have and what is there for us in the future. The most special thing is the belief."

Titas Sadhu - who bowled a total of 20 dot balls from her quota of 24 balls - was named the player of the match in the final for her sensational bowling effort. The BCCI has, meanwhile, announced a prize of Rs 5 crore for the winning side and coaching staff.

Following a pep talk from India's Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, India came out with a specific plan and executed it perfectly as England's innings never really took off after being reduced to 16 for three in four overs. Besides Shafali, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh was the other international cricketer in the U-19 squad.

Sadhu struck on the fourth ball of the innings with a superb caught and bowled effort to get rid of Liberty Heap (0).

Spinner Archana then cleaned up Niamh Fiona Holland (10), while Gongadi Trisha pulled off a sensational catch to get rid of Grace Scrivens (4) to hand Archana her second wicket.

Sadhu could have added another wicket to her name but senior pro Richa dropped a regulation catch of Ryana Macdonald Gay, who had edged an away-going ball. The Bengal pacer, however, didn't have to wait long as she went through the gates of Seren Smale (3) next.

Macdonald Gay played a couple of hits to the fence to ease the pressure but in-form leg-spinner Parshavi Chopra then got into the act, trapping Charis Pavely (2) in front of the wicket as England lost half their side for 39 in 10 overs.

Left-arm spinner Kashyap also kept things tight at the other end as Chopra removed Macdonald Gay with Archana taking a superb one-handed catch with a full dive at extra cover.

India's fielding was exemplary in the big game. With England at 46 for 6 in 12 overs, skipper Shafali brought herself in but Alexa Stonehouse hit her for a rare boundary.

Soumya was then in action as her direct hit found Josephine Groves short by a big margin, leaving England at 53 for 7. Shafali and Richa then combined to pile further misery on England with the latter producing a stumping effort. Kashyap then removed Stonehouse with Sonam taking a dolly at cover.

(With PTI inputs)

Story first published: Sunday, January 29, 2023, 19:53 [IST]
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