“I Think Nowadays…”: Shafali Verma Picks This Englishman As Her Role Model Alongside Sachin Tendulkar

Indian women’s cricket team sensation, Shafali Verma, has won many fans’ hearts with her blitzkreig so early in her career. The opening batter has often been compared to the Indian men’s cricket team’s former opener Virender Sehwag. But, as far as the current generation goes, Shafali sees England all-rounder Liam Livingstone as as a ‘role model’. Even the Indian men’s cricket team has some of the finest batters in the world, be it Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav or others. But, it’s the Englishman whose style of play mesmerises Shafali the most.

Speaking exclusively on Star Sports show ‘Follow the Blues’, Shafali explained why she sees Livingstone as a role model, as far as the current crop of players is concerned. Growing up however, the teenage batter idolised Sachin Tendulkar like most other budding cricketers.

“I think nowadays, I like Livingstone’s batting because he’s hitting very well, and of course growing up, playing cricket, I used to watch Sachin Tendulkar sir. So of course, Sachin sir is also my role model and I love to see him, how he is playing the game and he’s very calm. And I was also thinking to learn something like that from him,” she said.

Shafali, who is presently playing in the U19 Women’s World Cup for India, is confident of winning the title in what would be her first and last outing in the competition.

“Of course it’s very good, it’s my first and last, because it’s my last year of the U-19, but of course very exciting. We have a good team, we are really enjoying with the girls and I hope we will play good cricket and of course we will be here for the world cup and we will try to achieve that.”

“I would say we are averaging well in batting, bowling and fielding, it’s just the mind-set of how they are taking them, but as a captain, I hope we win the world cup,” she asserted.

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