The Shafali storm: Giants had been a ravaged lot after the Capitals opener blew them away, smashing 10 fours and 5 sixes in her unbeaten 28-ball 76.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Lightning struck twice for Gujarat Giants on Saturday night time.
First there was a superb spell of seam bowling from Marizanne Kapp that broke its batting. And then Shafali Verma launched a stunning assault with the bat that left the Giants fielders, and the wonderful crowd at the D.Y. Patil Stadium, dazed.
Shafali’s blitzkrieg (76 not out, 28b, 10×4, 5×6) meant Delhi Capitals went previous Giants’ complete of 105 with 10 wickets and 12.5 overs to spare.
All Shafali’s captain Meg Lanning had to do was calm down and luxuriate in a spectacular show of batting, which was a potent mixture of sweetly timed photographs all alongside the floor and a few audacious aerial photographs that travelled fairly a distance.
Shafali had come to the WPL badly in want of huge scores. With her second fifty of the match, she appears to be again at her absolute best.
Strange determination
Earlier, in choosing their XI, Giants had performed a UP Warriorz by leaving out Sophia Dunkley, the architect of their victory in the final match (versus Royal Challengers Bangalore).
On a recent wicket, Kapp bowled her 4 overs unchanged to end with 5 for 15. By the time her spell ended, the contest was nearly over. After struggling a bit with her bowling early on in the match, she discovered the proper size and acquired the ball to transfer in menacingly.
With her second ball of the match, Kapp yorked S. Meghana. In her second over, she cleaned up Laura Wolvaardt and off the subsequent ball, she trapped Ashleigh Gardner in entrance. Giants limped to 105 for 9 — fairly an enchancment from 33 for six shortly after the PowerPlay.
That was largely to a few knocks down the order from Georgia Wareham (22, 25b, 2×4) and Kim Garth (32 not out, 37b, 3×4). Giants may not likely get well from the early blows and if that wasn’t sufficient, Shafali delivered the killer blow.
