The 2021 edition of Women’s Big Bash League commenced on 14th October with the Sydney Sixers Women and Melbourne Stars Women’s clash in Hobart. The match was affected by rain and was reduced to 11 overs per side. The highlight of the match was the one-stump throw by India’s rising star Shafali Verma, which resulted in the run-out of Annabel Sutherland.
The opening match of the tournament saw the Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Stars battling for a winning start to their WBBL campaign. Though a lot of the action was lost due to rain, the match was completed and Sydney Sixers came out victorious. Apart from the half-century by the opener Alyssa Healy, the highlight of the match was the direct throw by Shafali Verma.
Shafali Verma affects a stunning run-out
The moment came on the fifth delivery of the sixth over of the Melbourne Stars Women’s inning when the Sydney Sixers skipper Ellyse Perry was bowling to Melbourne Stars opener Elyse Villani. Villani hit the ball to short deep mid-wicket as Sutherland, who was at the non-striker’s end, ran for a quick single. Shafali Verma was quick enough to grab the ball and execute a stunning one-stump direct hit by the time Sutherland came back in the crease.
What a throw! Welcome to the @WBBL, Shafali Verma 🔥@CommBank | #WBBL07 pic.twitter.com/X6mhtzwUp8
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) October 14, 2021
Sutherland was adjudged run-out owing to the spectacular direct hit by Shafali Verma. The commentators were elated and expressed their excitement on-air. The video of the same has gone viral on the internet and Verma is earning a lot of praise for her one-stump direct hit. Melbourne Stars gave a stiff target of 100 for Sydney Sixers to achieve in 11 overs, however, they easily reached the target in the end with 4 balls left.
Though Shafali Verma couldn’t really do much with her batting, the run-out she affected was crucial for her team. Verma could only score 8 runs off 10 deliveries, however, she is hogging the limelight for her direct hit and rightly so.
