Jay sir gave us confidence ahead of final, told us to enjoy our moment: U19 T20 WC winning skipper Shafali Verma
Feb 07, 2023
New Delhi [India], February 7 : India U19 Women's T20 World Cup winning skipper and batter Shafali Verma said on Tuesday that BCCI secretary Jay Shah gave them a lot of confidence before the final of the tournament and told them to go out and enjoy the moment.
Shafali posted a video on her Instagram in which she said, "It is our work to make our team proud. That is why we play. This is just the beginning for us."
"My dad called me before the match, he told me that BCCI has done everything for you and now it is your turn."
"Jay sir (Jay Shah) gave us a lot of confidence as a team. He told us to not play the match as a final and just enjoy the moment. We went ahead with the same mindset and won the cup," concluded Shafali.
India's victorious women's U19 team arrived at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi on Thursday and received a rousing welcome where they were greeted by fans waiting to celebrate their inaugural T20 World Cup win.
The fans greeted them in a fervorous manner to the beats of dhol and welcomed their World Cup champions with great exuberance and delight, showering them with flowers.
The players were earlier felicitated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) where BCCI secretary Jay Shah, legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and BCCI president Roger Binny were present at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 1.
World Cup-winning captain Shafali Verma collected a cheque for Rs 5 crore, the cash prize BCCI announced for the team and the support staff last week.
The felicitation took place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad prior to the third and final T20I between India and New Zealand.
"By winning this World Cup, you have given a dream to young girls in India, to represent the country. The beginning of the WPL is going to be the biggest thing. I believe in equality for men and women, and not just in sports. There should be equal opportunity," Tendulkar said.
Indian bowlers' tremendous bowling performance followed by Gongadi Trisha and Soumya Tiwari's knocks helped India lift the inaugural U19 Women's T20 World Cup title after defeating England by seven wickets in the summit clash at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
On January 29, Team India defeated England in a one-sided summit clash, first bowling them out for 68 and then chasing down the target in 14 overs. India became the first-ever ICC Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup winner on Sunday.