{"id":536525,"date":"2025-10-30T00:42:23","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T00:42:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/536525\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T00:42:23","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T00:42:23","slug":"chance-to-make-significant-impact-firstpost","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/536525\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Chance to make significant impact\u2019 \u2013 Firstpost"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop also commented on India\u2019s ideal combination on the eve of their Women\u2019s World Cup semi-final showdown against defending champions Australia, who are yet to lose a game, and urged the Women in Blue to seek inspiration from the 1983 Men\u2019s World Cup-winning Indian team.<\/p>\n

Shafali Verma will likely face one of the biggest challenges of her career when she walks out to bat on Thursday during the blockbuster ICC Women\u2019s World Cup semi-final between co-hosts India and defending champions Australia in Navi Mumbai on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Verma isn\u2019t someone who isn\u2019t familiar with the situation, i.e. facing the world\u2019s best team in a high-voltage World Cup knockout game. She had, after all, opened alongside star batter Smriti Mandhana in the final of the 2020 ICC Women\u2019s T20 World Cup final, as well as in the semi-final of the same tournament three years later.<\/p>\n

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The situation, however, couldn\u2019t be more different for Verma this time around, with the 21-year-old opener set to make her first appearance of the ICC Women\u2019s World Cup, which has entered its final week with the mega event set to conclude at Navi Mumbai\u2019s DY Patil Stadium on Sunday.<\/p>\n

It will be her first competitive game in a month, and
\nshe’s only getting the opportunity due to in-form opener Pratika Rawal getting ruled out<\/a> of the remainder of the tournament after picking up an injury in the group match against Bangladesh on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Bishop urges Verma to make \u2018significant impact\u2019 for her country<\/strong><\/p>\n

Speaking to reporters on JioStar Media Day, former West Indian pacer Ian Bishop \u2013 who is part of the commentary team for the ongoing tournament \u2013 felt that the situation will not be easy for Verma if she\u2019s slotted into the Indian playing XI right away in place of Rawal, but she must embrace the challenge with a positive mindset nevertheless.<\/p>\n

\u201cComing back after a break, especially in a match as crucial as a World Cup semi-final, is never easy. Shafali\u2019s recent international form hasn\u2019t been great, but this is a one-off opportunity she must embrace with a positive mindset. She should see this as a chance to make a significant impact for her team and country rather than feel pressured,\u201d Bishop said in response to a query from Firstpost.<\/p>\n

\u201cStaying relaxed yet determined to make the best use of this opportunity will be key. Her execution will depend largely on how well she has prepared in practice sessions leading up to the match,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

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Australia had beaten India 2-1 in a three-match ODI series right before the World Cup, and had also pulled off a record chase of 331 against the Women in Blue when the two sides had met in the group stage of the tournament in Visakhapatnam.<\/p>\n

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Not only did India suffer a late batting collapse to get bowled out for 330 from 294\/4 when a score in the range of 370-380 was on the cards, they also found themselves reduced to helpless spectators with Australian captain Alyssa Healy laying the foundation for victory with a dominant 142 off 107 deliveries.<\/p>\n

India did make things interesting later in the game by reducing Australia to 303\/7 in the 46th over, but all-rounder Ellyse Perry \u2013 who had been struggling with her fitness in that game \u2013 got her team over the line with an unbeaten 47.<\/p>\n

One of the key takeaways from that game for India was the lack of a sixth bowling option, which is why the Aussies were able to get over the line with an over to spare in the end despite losing a flurry of wickets late in the chase. And Bishop for one felt an additional bowling option could certainly come in handy for Harmanpreet Kaur and company.<\/p>\n

\"IndiaAustralia had chased down a mammoth target of 331 against India when the two sides had met during the group stage of the ICC Women\u2019s World Cup. Image: PTI<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cI would like India to have that extra bowling depth and let the batters take responsibility. With Australia\u2019s batting depth, I\u2019d prefer one more bowling option. I don\u2019t like part-timers in such a big game. Back your top order to get the runs but always have a fallback, especially on a good batting surface like DY Patil.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIf you go in with just five specialist bowlers, Australia will target one or two to put pressure on India. That could force Harmanpreet Kaur to use herself or other part-time options. It\u2019s always good to have an all-rounder who can bat and bowl when needed,\u201d Bishop continued.<\/p>\n

Harmanpreet and Co advised to seek inspiration from \u2018Kapil\u2019s Devils\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 58-year-old Trinidadian, who represented the West Indies in 43 Tests and 84 ODIs in a decade-long international career, also commented on Australia\u2019s status as the overwhelming favourites heading into the knockouts, given the fact that they are yet to lose a match so far.<\/p>\n

Bishop urged the Indian team to seek inspiration from the Kapil Dev-led Indian side that defeated the mighty West Indies in the 1983 Men\u2019s World Cup despite being the underdogs in that game.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI want to take everyone here back to when we talk about an aura of invincibility, right? I don\u2019t often talk about this because I was a young kid and I was sick for days after this match. Remember, was it that 1983 World Cup men\u2019s edition when India beat the West Indies at Lord\u2019s?<\/p>\n

\u201cWest Indies came in as overwhelming favourites and they were overturned by India that ushered in a whole new generation and a way of viewing and playing the game. That is something – that is a spirit that all teams and much more so India, have to draw upon in the semifinal.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAgain, I\u2019m not diminishing anything that Australia can do because they are the team to beat. So that\u2019s why we\u2019re not talking too much about them because they come into this as favorites. But it\u2019s a chance for India to make their own history,\u201d Bishop added.<\/p>\n

Catch Semi-final 2 of the ICC Women\u2019s Cricket World Cup India 2025, as India take on Australia on October 30 at 3:00 PM, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network<\/p>\n