‌WPL 2024 | Twitter erupts as Ismail dismantles Shafali Verma to claim tourney’s maiden scalp

The curtain raiser of WPL 2024 bore plenty of excitement as Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians, the finalists of the last edition squared off in the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. The hype of the first game was further epitomized by the first wicket when Ismail knocked off Verma inside the powerplay on her first appearance for the Mumbai-based franchise. 

Following six dot deliveries to kick off her tournament, Verma went off the strike in the final ball of the second over. Managing just a single run in seven deliveries, the young gun was under pressure and the experienced Ismail capitalized on her eventual aggressive approach. 

The right-arm pacer dished a good length delivery that shaped into the right-hander to beat the inside edge and uproot the middle stump. Verma seemed reckless in her intent as she swung the bat across the line widely to hear the death’s knell. Ismail was fired up on drawing the first blood for her new franchise and here is how the Twitterverse reacted.

Shafali departs!

CASTLED! 🎯



Shabnim Ismail with a spectacular delivery to claim the first wicket of Season 2 🔥🔥#TATAWPL | #MIvDC | @mipaltan pic.twitter.com/H7TBL0Klre

— Women's Premier League (WPL) (@wplt20) February 23, 2024

Taking away smiles

Shabnim Ismail takes away Shafali’s smile!

Middle stump uprooted!#WPL2024 pic.twitter.com/BdhlENEigt

— Asli BCCI Women (@AsliBCCIWomen) February 23, 2024

Unreal

Unreal clownery this from Shafali ngl😭

— Harsh Deshwal (@IamHarshDeshwal) February 23, 2024

What's wrong

Shafali has started failing in the league too? What is wrong with this player

— Archer (@poserarcher) February 23, 2024

Looks like that

Shafali should go back to club cricket. Too much of a rope fiven

— Varun (@wizardrincewind) February 23, 2024

Good question

When was the last time Shafali played a good white ball knock?

— archith (@InswinginMenace) February 23, 2024

Need some work

Shafali needs to work on her game a lot, she isn't cut out to play even wpl now

— Starlord Vol.2 (@NotTheStarlord) February 23, 2024

And it happened!

6 dot balls. Shafali definitely going to do something stupid and get out now.

— Karan (@karanrajan) February 23, 2024

1st one!

Shabnim Ismail gets the first wicket of WPL 2024 as she cleans up Shafali Verma 1(8)☝️#MIvDC #WPL #WPL2024 #TATAWPL #TATAWPL2024 pic.twitter.com/EVFjtnywzs

— Rishabh Singh Parmar (@irishabhparmar) February 23, 2024

Ugly

An ugly agricultural swing from Shafali Varma to give us our 1st breakthrough of the season!



Unreal pressure from the fielding unit to start off#MIvDC

— Nish Navalkar (@YUVI_NISH) February 23, 2024