India opener Shafali Verma reflected on her challenging year, revealing how she battled setbacks before emerging as a key figure in India’s World Cup triumph. Initially left out of the main squad, the 21-year-old was drafted in as a replacement for the injured Pratika Rawal and seized the opportunity in style. Shafali produced a match-winning all-round performance in the final against South Africa, scoring 87 runs and taking 2/36, earning her the Player of the Final award in India’s 52-run victory.
After her heroics in the World Cup final, Shafali opened up about her journey over the past year, reflecting on the challenges she faced and how perseverance and faith helped her overcome them.
“The last one year was very tough for me. I faced a lot of struggles, but I kept working extremely hard and was rewarded by God for my effort,” Shafali told reporters after a felicitation programme in Rohtak.
Verma’s blistering 87 off 78 balls set the tone for India’s imposing total in the Women’s World Cup final against South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Valuable knocks from Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh further powered India to a commanding 298/7 which was enough for them to win the title.
“I was determined to contribute to the World Cup victory”
Shafali received a late call-up to India’s World Cup squad just before the semifinal against defending champions Australia. Though she couldn’t make a big impact in that match, the Haryana batter rose to the occasion in the final, delivering a match-winning performance when it mattered most as India ended their ICC title drought.
“When I joined the Indian team ahead of the semifinal, I was determined to contribute to the World Cup victory. The final is always a big stage. Initially, I was a bit nervous, but I calmed myself, focused on my strategy, and executed it well. That helped me deliver an all-round performance,” Shafali said.
After receiving a grand welcome upon her arrival in her hometown Rohtak, the swashbuckling opener urged girls to have self-belief and work hard, saying results will come.
“They should always put in the hard work in whatever field they may choose and also have self-belief, and results will follow,” Shafali said.
