Women’s Asia Cup: Shafali backs middle-order to fire in semi-final against Bangladesh

Dubai: Unfazed by the recent lack of runs from India’s middle-order, dynamic opener Shafali Verma on Wednesday threw her weight behind them ahead of their Women's Asia Cup semi-final clash against Bangladesh, adding that the lack of runs from them is a temporary phase.

While India’s openers, Shafali and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana have carried much of the run-scoring burden in the continental event, rest of the batters have struggled for consistency. A collapse of eight wickets for 46 runs against Thailand earlier in the tournament showed that India’s middle-order batting issues are yet to be resolved.

But Shafali expressed full confidence in her batting colleagues to deliver when it matters most in the knockout stage at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.

“Well, I would say there are a bit of bad days. But they all are very good players. They all are very good batters. Just talking about Bharti and Richa, they all are very good finishers and even do great things in the middle order as well. So, I am pretty sure they will do well for our team,” Shafali told reporters during the pre-match press conference.

Seven-time champions India enter the semi-finals following a brief rest period after beating Pakistan by seven wickets in their last Group A game. It’s a breather that Shafali believes came at the right time for the squad to recharge and refine their plans.

“We had good preparation. We got four days of break and on those days, we recovered well and did practice as well. So, we all are ready for the semis,” she said.

On a personal front, Shafali has enjoyed a solid run with the bat by scoring 104 runs in three games. But Shafali insisted that she treats every new match as a fresh start rather than relying on past performances.

“As a batter, whenever I go to bat, I just start from zero. But what came from that innings, it's just confidence. So, I will take that confidence and just start from zero again,” she remarked.

Addressing the playing conditions at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Shafali noted that the slow and spin-friendly pitches in Dubai closely resemble those back home in India, giving the team a familiar environment to adapt to.

“Of course, the conditions here are similar – like how it is in India. So, we all know the conditions. There is a bit of turn in the wicket. We all are prepared about that and I also know about the conditions. So, I just go out there, take time and enjoy it,” she explained.

When asked about potential changes to the playing eleven for the crucial semi-final, Shafali was quick to point out that team selection remains strictly under the captain's purview. “I am not a captain. So, the captain will decide this. I just try to play my best.”

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