India’s young batting sensation Shafali Verma is back in the national setup ahead of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 semi-final against Australia, replacing the injured Pratika Rawal. Speaking at a pre-match press conference in Navi Mumbai, Shefali appeared calm, confident, and focused as she prepares for another knockout battle, one she describes as “nothing new.”
“At the domestic level, I was in good touch. Semi-finals aren’t new for me; I’ve played many before. It all depends on how clear and confident I can keep myself mentally. I just keep telling myself to stay calm and believe in my game. I’ll give my 200%,” she said with a composed smile.
Shefali last featured for India earlier in the year and has since been working extensively on her One-Day batting approach. Having recently played domestic T20s, she shared how she’s managed to adjust to the 50-over format again.
“I was playing T20s in the domestic circuit, but switching formats isn’t too difficult. In our recent practice sessions, I’ve been focusing on batting calmly and playing the ball along the ground. I worked on facing quality bowlers and hitting in my range. The past two days of practice have gone really well, I’m feeling good about my touch,” she explained.
When asked about how she learned of her selection, Shefali revealed she received the news just two days ago while with her Haryana team.
“I found out two days ago while I was with my Haryana team. It’s unfortunate what happened to Pratika, no sports person likes to see a teammate injured. God has sent me here to do something good, and I’m very happy to be back. My family, especially my father, was very happy. If I get a chance to play, I’ll give my best,” she said.
Returning to the squad after a brief gap, Shefali emphasized how warmly she was welcomed by her teammates and coaching staff. “Everyone was very welcoming, from the captain and coaches to my teammates. Smriti (Mandhana) di and others told me to just play my natural game and not panic. I’ve been given a lot of freedom, which makes me feel confident. I’ll respect the good balls and hit the ones in my range,” she said.
On the team environment ahead of the big semi-final, Shefali stressed the importance of simplicity and belief. “Everyone in the squad has experience now, most have played the whole World Cup. The message is simple: keep things simple and back your strengths. The atmosphere in the team is very positive. We all want to give our best,” she noted.
Facing Australia, a team known for thriving in big matches, Shefali remains undaunted. “I’ve played against Australia many times, I cannot be saying I’ll assess and then react, I know their bowlers well. They will come hard, but we’ve prepared well and all are in touch. We’ll look to perform well and if we do, obviously we will win,” she said.
When asked about countering Australia’s key players and strategies, she responded with maturity beyond her years. “Like I said, I’ve played with Australia a lot and if as a batting unit we don’t give them wickets, they’ll panic. As a team, we’ve played them a lot. The bowling unit will focus on hitting the right lengths and as a batting unit, back our strengths, keeping our batting plans simple. The less we panic, the better we’ll perform,” she explained.
Shefali also highlighted the collective mindset of the team as India aims to recreate its 2017 semi-final heroics when they defeated Australia.
“If you’ve followed our World Cup so far, you’ll know everyone has worked hard to performed well to reach this stage. In knockouts, you don’t get second chances, everyone knows they have to give 200%. We’ve prepared really well over the past few days and hopefully, we’ll perform at our best,” she said.
As for her potential batting position, Shefali left it to team management but made her intent clear. “It’s the management’s call, but I’m ready to play anywhere, opening or in the middle-order. The confidence I have inside me is what matters most, whenever the management wants me to bat, I’m super ready for that,” she smiled.
Closing on her mindset, Shefali reaffirmed her focus on simplicity and playing for the country. “I’m not thinking about any baggage. Playing for your country in a semi-final is motivation enough. I just want to give my best, the simpler I keep things, the better for me,” she concluded.
With her calm confidence, strong domestic form, and fearless approach, Shefali Verma’s return could be the spark India needs as they take on defending champions Australia in a high-stakes semi-final at Navi Mumbai.
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