Watch: After Shafali Verma hit her for consecutive sixes, Shabnim Ismail responded by dismissing her next ball and following it with an expletive-laden send-off.
Like the Bengaluru leg, the Delhi leg of WPL 2024 began with a clash between Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians. Meg Lanning and Shafali Verma got the hosts off to a blazing start after Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and opted to field. After four overs, Delhi were 36-0.
Shabnim Ismail had clean bowled Verma with a spectacular delivery to claim the first wicket of this edition of the WPL. Perhaps with that in mind, Kaur gave her a third over on the trot.
To the first ball of the over, Verma made room and hit over Ismail’s head for a six. The next six was flatter, but still hit the rope at the long-off boundary.
Verma had almost certainly planned a slog for the third ball of the over as well, but Ismail altered both her line and length. She bowled a good-length ball at Verma, who was cramped for room but went for the shot nevertheless. The edge went to wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia, and Verma walked back for a 12-ball 28. As Verma walked off the pitch, Ismail shouted an expletive goodbye to her.
Lanning (53 in 38 balls) and Jemimah Rodrigues (69 not out in 33) took Delhi to 192-4. Mumbai, in tatters at 77-5 after 11 overs, were looking at their first defeat while chasing in the WPL.
Watch the duel between Shafali Verma and Shabnim Ismail:
Shafali Vemra goes 6⃣,6⃣
But Shabnim Ismail has the final laugh 😎
Recap the eventful over 🎥🔽
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— Women’s Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) March 5, 2024
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