India’s explosive opener Shafali Verma says her growing effectiveness with the ball is no accident as meticulous preparation and visualisation have helped her evolve into an all-rounder capable of contributing in multiple roles for the team.

Known primarily for her aggressive batting, Shafali has emerged as a useful bowling option in recent months, often chipping in with crucial breakthroughs. With her off-spin she had even opened the attack against South Africa in India’s last World Cup game.

“It’s not like that I have never bowled before,” Shafali, who claimed two crucial wickets in the final of the ODI world Cup, told reporters on the eve of their T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh.

“Whenever I played domestic cricket for Haryana and even when I was captain, I always gave myself time to think about how I would execute if I got a chance to bowl for India. I have visualised those situations. If I am bowling in a particular match situation, what do I need to think about? It’s not like I am bowling just like that. I have prepared for it and worked hard on it. That’s why I am able to execute well.”

Shafali said she relishes taking on additional responsibility and is willing to step up whenever the team needs her.

“As a player, whatever the situation and whatever the team needs, I always put my hand up. I want to get the team out of difficult situations and help win matches. So I would say I am an all-rounder now,” she said.

The 22-year-old credited her father for encouraging her to bowl from an early age, even though batting remained her primary focus.

“My brother was a leg-spinner, so sometimes my father would tell me to bowl as well if I got a chance. Now he says, ‘Thank God you bowled at that time because you are bowling well today’,” she said with a smile.

“My father first made me a wicketkeeper. If you don’t know, I used to keep wickets in domestic cricket. But now I am bowling as well, and I don’t mind being the person who helps the team win games.” India’s six-wicket loss to South Africa has left Harmanpreet Kaur’s side with little room for error, with victories in their remaining two league matches likely needed to secure a place in the knockout stage.

Shafali said the team is ready to move on from South Africa setback and will focus on taking one game at a time.

“When we go through bad days, the morale of the players will be down. But the next day, we all know that we have to come together and motivate each other,” Shafali said.

“We spoke about it in the huddle yesterday. We know these are crucial games, but we will back each other. We are taking it day by day … we had a lot of thoughts about staying in the present. Everyone is very mature. Everyone has played a lot of cricket.

“So I don’t think we will let this situation happen again in this World Cup. So I will just say that we will give our best in this World Cup.” The dashing opener said India will not take the opposition lightly despite entering the game as favourites.

“We can’t take any team lightly. They also came here to show good cricket … we all know we have to win two games but we’ll go game by game. We’ll try to give our best cricket tomorrow and just win that game.” Shafali said the squad has drawn confidence from a similar situation during last year’s ODI World Cup, when India bounced back from a difficult position to stay alive in the tournament.

“Its not like that we have never been in this situation before. We have come out of this situation last year. Tough situations are those which have never come in your life but we have overcome this situation by accepting it in ODIs,” Shafali said.

“So we know that we have to win both these matches. So how do we have to prepare? How will we have to talk to each other as a player? “So I will just say that … this time also, we will just go in and see what we did at that time, what we executed well. So every player has gone and seen that and we all are ready for that.”