At just 21, Shafali Verma has already etched her name into Indian cricket folklore with fearless batting and a hunger to dominate. But lately, her journey has taken an unexpected turn. Despite her explosive performances and unmatched domestic consistency, she finds herself on the fringes of the national team.
Her place in the Indian squad remains elusive. Though her name features in the BCCI’s Grade B contract list, guaranteeing her an annual retainer of INR 30 lakh, her last appearance in Indian colors dates back to the ODIs against New Zealand in October. Her final T20I was during the World Cup group stage match against Australia in Sharjah. Since then, the doors have stayed shut—first against West Indies, then Ireland, and now the Tri-Series in Colombo featuring South Africa and Sri Lanka.
After being dropped from the national team, Shafali didn’t retreat—she retaliated. In the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy, she tore through bowling attacks with 527 runs at a fiery strike rate of 152.31 and a superb average of 75.29. Then came the Senior Women’s Challenger Trophy, where she topped the charts again—414 runs at a 145.26 strike rate, averaging a phenomenal 82.80. These are not just numbers; they’re proof of a player on a mission.
Her aggressive batting at the top has always been her hallmark, and she lived up to that billing in the WPL 2025 as well. Representing Delhi Capitals, she smashed 304 runs at an average of 38, with a stunning strike rate of 152.76. Her unbeaten 80 against RCB was a masterclass in controlled aggression—a brutal reminder of what she can do when she’s in the zone.
Just two days after the pressure-cooker WPL 2025 final, Shafali was back on the ground, this time wearing the Haryana colors in the Women’s U23 One-Day Trophy. While most players would’ve chosen recovery, she opted for redemption. In the pre-quarterfinal against Karnataka, her bat may have been quiet, but her bowling did all the talking. She stunned the opposition with a breathtaking hat-trick, flipping the game and guiding her team into the quarterfinals. It was a reminder—she’s not just a power hitter, she’s a match-winner.
But Shafali isn’t waiting around—she’s working, scoring, and proving her worth over and over again. In the Senior Women’s Multi-Day Challenger Trophy, she showcased her class once more. Batting for India C, she rescued her side from a crunch situation against India D, crafting a sublime 108 off 104 balls, including 19 boundaries. From five innings so far, she’s piled up 209 runs at an average of 52.25 and has also taken 4 wickets.
With each inning, each milestone, and each match-winning effort, Shafali Verma is making it impossible to ignore her any longer. And when that door finally opens, it won’t be a comeback. It will be a continuation of a journey that never really paused—only powered up.
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