Navi Mumbai: Talking to reporters after being suddenly parachuted into India's squad-despite not even being in the reserves before the 2025 World Cup semifinal against Australia at the DY Patil Stadium, Shafali Verma had a philosophical take on her last-minute recall due to in-form opener Pratika Rawal being ruled out due to injuries.
While sympathizing with Rawal, Shefali said, “What happened with Pratika, as a sportsperson, it wasn't a good thing. No one wants any sportsperson to sustain such an injury. But God has sent me here to do something good.”
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Indeed, God had sent her for something good for the Women-in-Blue.
Rising to the occasion in the summit clash against South Africa in front of 45,000 cheering fans and a billion Indian cricket supporters around the world, the 21-year-old explosive batter repaid the faith of the team management and the new selection committee of the Indian women's team by smashing a scintillating, career-best 87 off 78 balls, which included seven fours and two sixes down the ground as she chose to play in the ‘V.’
Together with vice-captain and in-form star bat Smriti Mandhana (45 off 58 balls), the Haryana batter added 104 in 106 balls for the opening wicket to provide India with the perfect launchpad for a big score-a mandatory requirement on a flat pitch.
It was as spectacular, dream comeback as you can imagine, and infused life into a final which had been delayed by a couple of hours due to unseasonal rain. It seemed that the DY Patil Stadium had been hit by a 'Shafali storm' after the showers!
Standing at the entrance of the dressing room, Mandhana, in a heart-warming gesture, gave the young gun a well-deserved pat on the back.
What gave Shafali confidence was that she was carrying some confidence due to good form in domestic cricket.
Captaining Haryana in the Senior National Women’s T20 tournament at Surat, the young gun was the top-run getter in the ongoing Senior Women’s T20 League, having made 341 runs at a strike rate of 182.35 for Haryana.
Returning to the side after being out of India’s WODI team for exactly an year-she last played in this format for India against New Zealand on Oct 29, 2024 at Ahmedabad- Shafali threatened to blast off in the semis on Thursday, hitting a couple of fours in a five-ball 10 before falling lbw to Australian pacer Kim Garth.
Clearly, going by Shafali's line of thinking, perhaps God had sent her to join the Indian team here so that she could deliver her best in the final.
Shafali's 87 is now the highest-ever individual score by an Indian opening batter in a World Cup final — men or women, ODI or T20I — for India.
The record was held by Punam Raut, with her 86 against England in the 2017 Women’s World Cup final in Derby, followed by the men’s former opener Virender Sehwag’s 82 in the 2003 World Cup final against Australia. At 21 years, 278 days, she's also the youngest player to score a fifty in a women's ODI World Cup final.
Picked for the Women-in-Blue for this campaign out of the blue, Shafali revealed that she was welcomed into the India camp with open arms by all. “All the players I have spoken to, the coach, captain and even Smriti di, they all said that I have to play my game. There is nothing to panic about and when I am getting this kind of freedom, I will try to respect the good balls and I will obviously hit those who are in my length (hitting range),” she had said.
While sympathizing with Rawal, Shefali said, “What happened with Pratika, as a sportsperson, it wasn't a good thing. No one wants any sportsperson to sustain such an injury. But God has sent me here to do something good.”
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
Indeed, God had sent her for something good for the Women-in-Blue.
Rising to the occasion in the summit clash against South Africa in front of 45,000 cheering fans and a billion Indian cricket supporters around the world, the 21-year-old explosive batter repaid the faith of the team management and the new selection committee of the Indian women's team by smashing a scintillating, career-best 87 off 78 balls, which included seven fours and two sixes down the ground as she chose to play in the ‘V.’
Together with vice-captain and in-form star bat Smriti Mandhana (45 off 58 balls), the Haryana batter added 104 in 106 balls for the opening wicket to provide India with the perfect launchpad for a big score-a mandatory requirement on a flat pitch.
It was as spectacular, dream comeback as you can imagine, and infused life into a final which had been delayed by a couple of hours due to unseasonal rain. It seemed that the DY Patil Stadium had been hit by a 'Shafali storm' after the showers!
Standing at the entrance of the dressing room, Mandhana, in a heart-warming gesture, gave the young gun a well-deserved pat on the back.
What gave Shafali confidence was that she was carrying some confidence due to good form in domestic cricket.
Captaining Haryana in the Senior National Women’s T20 tournament at Surat, the young gun was the top-run getter in the ongoing Senior Women’s T20 League, having made 341 runs at a strike rate of 182.35 for Haryana.
Returning to the side after being out of India’s WODI team for exactly an year-she last played in this format for India against New Zealand on Oct 29, 2024 at Ahmedabad- Shafali threatened to blast off in the semis on Thursday, hitting a couple of fours in a five-ball 10 before falling lbw to Australian pacer Kim Garth.
Clearly, going by Shafali's line of thinking, perhaps God had sent her to join the Indian team here so that she could deliver her best in the final.
Shafali's 87 is now the highest-ever individual score by an Indian opening batter in a World Cup final — men or women, ODI or T20I — for India.
The record was held by Punam Raut, with her 86 against England in the 2017 Women’s World Cup final in Derby, followed by the men’s former opener Virender Sehwag’s 82 in the 2003 World Cup final against Australia. At 21 years, 278 days, she's also the youngest player to score a fifty in a women's ODI World Cup final.
Picked for the Women-in-Blue for this campaign out of the blue, Shafali revealed that she was welcomed into the India camp with open arms by all. “All the players I have spoken to, the coach, captain and even Smriti di, they all said that I have to play my game. There is nothing to panic about and when I am getting this kind of freedom, I will try to respect the good balls and I will obviously hit those who are in my length (hitting range),” she had said.
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