Shafali Verma took pitch out of the equation: Meg Lanning

Delhi Capitals’ Shafali Verma celebrates her fifty against Gujarat Giants at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, on Saturday. Pic/Atul Kamble

Shafali Verma's sensational 76 not out off 28 balls in a small run chase for Delhi Capitals took even her inspirational skipper Meg Lanning by surprise.

Lanning admitted that explosive batter Shafali Verma produced a knock against Gujarat Giants on Saturday that no one saw coming in the Women's Premier League (WPL).

After Marizanne Kapp's 4-0-15-5 blew away the Gujarat Giants, who could manage a mere 105-9 in their 20 overs, Shafali hammered five sixes and 10 fours in the company of Lanning (21') to power Delhi Capitals to a 10-wicket win.

‘I didn't see it coming'

"I did not see that coming from Shafali, I do not think anyone did," said Lanning to the media after the match here at the DY Patil Stadium.

Meg Lanning

"She played to her strengths and got on a roll and when that happens in T20 cricket you just got to be going with it."

The Delhi Capitals captain said the pitch assisted the pacers early on.

Also read: WPL 2023: Delhi's Marizanne Kapp, Shafali Verma sink Gujarat Giants

"The pitch was a new-ball wicket. There was a little bit [of help] there if you got it in the right areas which we felt like we did," Lanning said.

"But Shafali took the wicket out of the equation, she backed herself, played to her strengths, stayed still and hit straight. On these wickets if you do that, you are going to be successful," she added.

Haynes rues selection error

Gujarat Giants head coach Rachael Haynes admitted that her side made an error by leaving out Sophia Dunkley, whose 65 against RCB made the difference.

"Marizanne is a great bowler and I do not want to take anything away from her. To take a batter out who had performed in the game before [last match], I am not sure [if] that was the right call. Dunk's [Sophia Dunkley] was probably one of the best T20 innings I have seen in quite some time," Haynes said.

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