Captain Shafali Verma cracked a blistering 78 while her opening partner Shweta Sehrawat sparkled with an unbeaten 74 as India outplayed UAE by 122 runs in the inaugural Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup here on Monday.

Shafali (78 off 34 balls) was at her destructive best and joined forced with an equally belligerent Sehrawat (74 not out off 49 deliveries) before Richa Ghosh smacked a 29- ball 49 to help India post an imposing 219/3 at Willowmoore Park.

The Indian bowlers then restricted UAE to 97/5, the result showing the gulf between the two sides. With the win, India have consolidated their top spot in Group D.

Invited to bat, Shafali, who has already played over 70 international matches for the senior team, including 51 T20Is, and Sehrawat, stitched a 111-run stand for the first wicket.

Sehrawat made her intentions clear from the first over and, after playing two dots, she smacked three boundaries to plunder 12 runs. Shafali followed suit in the next over as she also hit three fours.

Shafali was the aggressor in the partnership as she toyed with the opposition, hitting boundaries at will. She sent the ball to the fence 12 times and four times over it.

Brief scores: India Women U-19 219/3 in 20 ovs (Shafali Verma 78, Shweta Sherawat 74 n.o.). UAE Women U-19 97/5 in 20 ovs. India won by 122 runs.