Shafali Verma, Madison Landsman star on day 3 of U19 T20 World Cup

A rollicking opening partnership from Shweta Sehrawat and Shafali Verma helped dominant India brush aside UAE in the U19 T20 World Cup at the Willowmoore Park in Benoni on Monday (January 16). Second game of Group D saw Madison Landsman take a hat-trick as the hosts South Africa registered their first win.

In Group A, Bangladesh continued their impressive run with another win while Australia registered their first win. 

Put into bat first after UAE skipper Theertha Satish won the toss, India openers started in the same vein as the first match. Having played a match-winning innnigs in the first match, Shweta Sehrawat was in her elements straight away and hit Indhuja Nandakumar for three boundaries in the opening over.

Shafali followed the suit and added three more fours in the second over, this relentless attack rattled the UAE bowlers and they erred on line and length and ended up conceding eight more boundaries by the end of the power play.

With Shafali already batting on 49 off 25, India plundered 68 runs from the first six overs and even as Satish brought in the changes, the duo kept going for their shots and couple of consecutive sixes from Shafali meant India went past 100 in the eighth over. 

Even though Shafali fell in the next over, her 78 off 34 made sure that Sehrawat and other batters could carry on in attacking the UAE bowlers. Having started with a four off her first ball, Richa Ghosh also joined the party albeit with some luck even as she struggled to find the timing.

Sehrawat batted through the innings and India eventually finished on a score of 219 for the loss of three wickets.

In the daunting chase, Satish started with right intentions as she hit Shabnam MD for four consecutive fours, but fell in the same over after she miscued a half-scoop to the wicket-keeper Ghosh. 

Although, Mahika Gaur tried her best to keep up with the improbable chase with a couple of sixes, Lavanya Keny at the other end struggled and played a laborious innings of 24 from 54 balls. She couldn’t find any boundaries and was eventually dismissed by Parshavi Chopra’s leg spin.

Playing their first match of the tournament, pacer Titas Sadhu and left-arm spinner Mannat Kashyap kept it really tight and their frugal spells helped India limit UAE to score below hundred. 


With Scotland visibly struggling in a chase, Landsman became the first player to take a hat-trick in U19 Women’s World Cups in the 15th over having accounted for Maryam Faisal, Niamh Muir, and Orla Montgomery in consecutive deliveries. 

Earlier, Scotland reduced the hosts to 43 for 6 with some impressive bowling led by skipper Katherine Fraser. However, Kayla Reyneke led the fight back with a patient 53 off 49 and shared a 67-run stand with Jenna Evans to help South Africa to 112 for 7 from the stipulated 20 overs.

Once they lost the opening batters Ailsa Lister and Darcey Carter early, Scotland struggled to get a move on and some spectacular fielding from Simone Lourens sunk them further even before Landsman’s hat-trick.

In Group A, Bangladesh continued their impressive run to get the better of Sri Lanka while Australia went on to register their first of the tournament as they convincingly beat USA by nine wickets.


Brief Scores:

Group D

India 219/3 in 20 overs (Shafali Verma 78, Shweta Sehrawat 74*; Samaira Dharnidharka 1/33) beat UAE 97/5 in 20 overs (Mahika Gaur 26; Parshavi Chopra 1/13, Titas Sadhu 1/14 by 122 runs POTM: Shafali Verma

South Africa 112/7 in 2o overs (Kayla Reyneke 53, Jenna Evans; Katherine Fraser 3/25, Niamh Robertson-Jack 2/12) beat Scotland 68/10 in 17 overs (Emma Walsingham 17*; Madison Landsman 4/16, Seshnie Naidu 2/11) by 44 runs POTM: Kayla Reyneke

Group A 

Bangladesh 165/2 in 20 overs (Afia Prottasha 53, Shorna Akter 50*; Rashmi Nethranjali 1/30) beat Sri Lanka 155/4 in 20 overs (Vishmi Gunaratne 60*, Dewmi Vihanga; Marufa Akter 2/19) by 10 runs POTM: Afia Prottasha

USA 64/10 in 15.3 overs (Snigdha Paul 17; Maggie Clark 2/14) lost to Australia 65/1 in 8.4 overs (Kate Pelle 30*, Claire Moore 22*) by 9 wickets POTM: Maggie Clark