Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup: Parshavi Chopra rocks New Zealand, Shweta Sehrawat rolls India into final

Potchefstroom, January 27

Opener Shweta Sehrawat smashed an unbeaten fifty following Parshavi Chopra’s heroics as India notched up a comprehensive eight-wicket win over New Zealand to storm into the final of the inaugural Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup here today.

India restricted New Zealand to 107/9, with Chopra (3/20) leading a disciplined bowling effort after skipper Shafali Verma won the toss and elected to bowl.

Sixteen-year-old leg-spinner Chopra ran through New Zealand’s batting line-up with three successive wickets to leave them reeling at 74/5 in 13th over.

Titas Sadhu, Mannat Kashyap, Verma and Archana Devi got one wicket each.

For the Kiwis, Georgia Plimmer (35), Isabella Gaze (26), Izzy Sharp (13) and Kayley Knight (12) reached double figures as they struggled to score runs at Senwes Park.

Chasing 108 for win, India romped to victory after Sehrawat produced an unconquered 45-ball 61 which was studded with 10 hits to the fence.

Following the early exit of Verma (10), who has not been at her best in the tournament, Sehrawat and Soumya Tiwari (22) added 62 runs to take the team to the threshold of victory.

Sehrawat and Gongadi Trisha (5) then completed the job, with the former knocking off the winning runs with a four off Anna Browning as India scored 110/2 in 14.2 overs.

Chopra was adjudged the Player of the Match for her three-wicket haul.

Brief scores: New Zealand: 107/9 in 20 overs (Plimmer 35; Chopra 3/20); India: 110/2 in 14.2 overs (Shweta Sehrawat 61; Browning 2/18).