India opener Shafali Verma admitted the team has work to do in the middle overs after Thailand’s spinners triggered a dramatic batting collapse in Women’s Asia Cup 2026. But, she backed the side to respond strongly in its next outing. India slipped from 90/1 to 137/9 as Thailand changed the tempo of the game with disciplined spin bowling and regular wickets. Shafali, who smashed 64 off 36 balls, acknowledged that she also made a mistake during her innings.
“I just made a bit of a mistake, playing a little early and that came a little late. I might have played grounded, but it’s just a day,” she said. The aggressive opener said India were already prepared for the turning tracks and low bounce expected during the tournament. She added that the team would review its batting performance and identify areas that need improvement.
“Today’s game is done, and we did really well, but when we go to our rooms, we’re thinking about what we can improve and what more we can give to the team,” Shafali said. Having played in similar conditions two years ago, Shafali said that experience helped her prepare for the challenge. She observed that the new ball came onto the bat well, while the older ball tended to hold up and turn.
Shafali Verma hails India’s spin strength
Shafali also lauded India’s spin trio of Deepti Sharma, N. Shree Charani and Shreyanka Patil, saying their experience and understanding of turning conditions gave the team confidence. She was equally impressed by Thailand and UAE, stressing that emerging teams need more international cricket to continue developing. “I would love to play more cricket with them. If they all get more games, they will grow more,” she said.
On injured all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar, Shafali said she is recovering well but admitted India are missing the experienced player. She backed the available squad members to make the most of their opportunities. Looking ahead to the upcoming fixtures, Verma expressed full confidence in India’s core. “Our team is very mature. Every individual will go back, assess where we can improve, and come back harder in the next game,” she concluded.
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