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India opener Shafali Verma, added to the World Cup squad as a replacement for the injured Pratika Rawal, is confident of making an impact if given a chance to play. The 21-year-old was initially not selected for the tournament, but Rawal’s injury led to her inclusion ahead of the crucial semi-final against Australia. Verma acknowledged the challenge of joining the team directly for a knockout game after most of the tournament has concluded. She expressed her eagerness to take on the task, keep her approach simple, and perform to the best of her abilities. What Shafali Verma Said Before World Cup Semi-Final? “Of course it’s challenging if you come in directly in the semi-final. I think playing at home in a World Cup is a different motivation because of the huge crowd that’s cheering you. When you see a packed stadium, your feet start to move automatically as a sportsperson. Motivation is, a 100%, there. The simpler I keep it, the better I will perform.” “If god has sent me here, I’ll try to play my best game with the best intent, if I play, and try to do what the team needs, do what I do the best, and keep it simple. I’ll try and keep telling myself little things like ‘stay calm’ and ‘believe in yourself.’ These things will help, hopefully, and I’m doing well in practice, and hopefully things will get better for me,” Verma said in a video shared by the BCCI on Wednesday. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Team India (@indiancricketteam) India secured a spot in the top four with three wins, three losses, and one abandoned match from their seven group stage games. A victory against New Zealand in a do-or-die encounter helped them reach the semi-finals, where they will face defending champions Australia. The two teams will compete in the second semi-final on Thursday at the DY Patil Sports Academy. (With inputs from Agencies)
