Ahead of the Women's T20 World Cup match against New Zealand, India's Smriti Mandhana praised Shafali Verma, saying that the 16-year-old has made the side more balanced.
Verma has so far scored 68 runs from two matches, including five sixes and seven fours, at an impressive strike rate of 212.
"Shafali has been a huge positive coming into the T20 side. The way she's going about her batting, it's so easy to bat alongside her. I used to score a lot of our runs in the last two of three years, especially in the Powerplay, but now with Shafali coming in, she's getting the runs in the way I do. It makes the team more balanced," ICC quoted Mandhana as saying.
"She's got a routine she likes to follow, and that's the best thing about her. No-one has gone in and told her she has to change that. I used to have a major role in Powerplays, but Shafali is getting the quick runs in those first overs now too. She's made a huge impact and the team has become more balanced thanks to her," she added.
In India's last match against Bangladesh, Verma smashed 39 runs off just 17 balls and as a result, was awarded the Player of the Match.
India registered 142/6 in their allotted twenty overs against Bangladesh.
While defending the score, Poonam Yadav once again starred with the ball as she picked up three wickets.
India will next take on New Zealand in the tournament on Thursday, February 27.
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