With India’s Twenty20 International (T20I) squad announced for the England tour, aggressive opener Shafali Verma has earned her place back in the setup.
At just 21, Verma has already seen it all. She made her international debut at the age of 15, bursting onto the scene with a half-century against the West Indies, becoming the youngest Indian to score a fifty in international cricket and breaking Sachin Tendulkar’s long-standing record.
In 2023, she led India to victory in the inaugural ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup held in South Africa. Everything seemed to be on track until a dip in form led to her first-ever omission from the national squad, last donning the India colours against New Zealand in October 2024.
Following the setback, she went back to the drawing board to work on her game. She returned to domestic cricket with a point to prove, emerging as the top run-scorer in both the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy and the Senior Women’s One Day Challenger Trophy.
She scored 527 runs at a strike rate of 152.31 and an average of 75.29 in the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy while captaining Haryana. In the Senior Women’s One Day Challenger Trophy, she led India A from the front, amassing 414 runs at a strike rate of 145.26 and an average of 82.80. She was also the fourth-highest run-scorer in the 2025 WPL, scoring 304 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 152.74, and played a key role in Delhi’s run to the final.
The domestic tournaments and the WPL helped her regain her rhythm. She gave credit to Delhi Capitals’ captain Meg Lanning, who she says has played a crucial role in shaping her into a better cricketer, not just in terms of skills but mentally as well. She acknowledged Lanning’s contribution to her growth. She also mentioned that at the beginning of her career, she was carefree, looking to hit almost every ball and enjoying the thrill of dominating bowlers with big shots. However, over time, she has matured as a cricketer and now places greater value on her wicket.
The huge runs she scored across tournaments earned her a place in the senior squad, leading to her recall for the tour of England. In a conversation with Hindustan Times, she stated, “It feels great, and there is a sense of relief too. I worked really hard for this. The coaches and the senior players, including captain Harmanpreet Kaur, have been supportive and backed me.”
She added that she is excited for the series and plans to draw on her previous experience in England, with a focus on batting through as many overs as possible and making a meaningful impact. Her focus will be on contributing consistently to the team’s success. While she insisted her natural aggressive style hasn’t changed much, she acknowledged the importance of being defensive when required and giving due respect to quality bowlers like Sophie Ecclestone and Nat Sciver-Brunt.
“I have matured as a cricketer and value my wicket more. I want to contribute in every game so that my team benefits. I won’t say my style has changed much, but yes, I will be defensive too and give respect to good bowlers, England have good bowlers like Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophie Ecclestone. So, I won’t just throw my wicket.”
When asked about her chances of selection for the upcoming ODI World Cup, she mentions, “At the moment, my job is to do well in the T20Is in England. I hope to leave an impression, and then it is left to the selectors.”
With the first match just days away, India is gearing up well and looking to hit their stride, keeping the two upcoming ICC tournaments in mind.
India Women tour of England 2025, Series Schedule:
1st T20I – June 28 – Nottingham (7:00 PM IST)
2nd T20I – July 01 – Bristol (11:00 PM IST)
3rd T20I – July 04 – The Oval (11:05 PM IST)
4th T20I – July 09 – Manchester (11:00 PM IST)
5th T20I – July 12 – Birmingham (11:05 PM IST)
1st ODI – July 16 – Southampton (5:30 PM IST)
2nd ODI – July 19 – Lord’s (3:30 PM IST)
3rd ODI – July 22 – Chester-le-Street (5:30 PM IST)
(Quotes sourced from Hindustan Times)
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