In a celebratory moment for Indian cricket, Haryana’s 21-year-old opener Shafali Verma was felicitated by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini with a cheque worth Rs 1.5 crore and a Grade-A gradation certificate for her standout performance in India’s historic maiden ICC Women’s ODI World Cup title triumph.
The presentation ceremony, held at the CM’s residence in Chandigarh, saw Shafali accompanied by her family, including her grandfather, father, and brother. The Haryana leader also announced her appointment as the Brand Ambassador of the Haryana State Commission for Women, lauding her as a beacon of inspiration for the youth.
The 13th edition of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, hosted by India and Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2, 2025, marked a watershed moment in women’s cricket. Under the leadership of skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and head coach Amol Muzumdar, India lifted their first-ever senior-level ICC title after defeating South Africa by 52 runs in the grand finale at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.
Shafali’s journey in this campaign was nothing short of cinematic. Initially left out of India’s World Cup squad, with consistent performer Pratika Rawal preferred as Smriti Mandhana’s opening partner, she earned a late recall following Rawal’s unfortunate ankle injury in India’s final league game against Bangladesh on October 26.
Stepping in for the knockout stages, Shafali returned with a cameo of 10 runs off 5 balls in the semifinal against Australia on October 30, where India scripted a record chase of 339. Harmanpreet’s gritty 89, Jemimah Rodrigues’ maiden World Cup ton (127*), and late blitzes from Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, and Amanjot Kaur powered the team into their third-ever World Cup final.
Then came Shafali’s defining day, November 2, 2025. In front of a roaring home crowd at DY Patil, the young opener produced a Player-of-the-Match performance, providing India with a solid opening stand, a fluent 87 off 78 balls, embellished with seven fours and two towering sixes. Later, she turned her arm over to deliver a game-changing spell of 7-0-36-2, breaking South Africa’s momentum and setting up India’s 52-run victory.
Recognising Shafali’s brilliance, CM Nayab Singh Saini said during the felicitation, “The daughter of Haryana has made the nation proud with her match-winning performance. She has enhanced the pride of her family, the state, and the entire country. Shafali is a source of inspiration for the youth across India.”
He added that Haryana continues to remain a cradle of sporting excellence: “The government has opened nearly 2,000 sports nurseries to nurture talent from the grassroots. Our aim is to strengthen Haryana’s identity as a sports powerhouse.”
He also interacted with Shafali about her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling her World Cup contribution a symbol of dedication and resilience. “The government is fully committed to supporting young sportspersons. Through marathons, cyclothons, and awareness programs, we encourage the youth to stay away from drugs and stay focused on their ambitions,” he said.
Reflecting on the recognition, Shafali expressed heartfelt gratitude to the state government. “Winning the World Cup brought immense joy. This victory is not just our team’s success but that of every woman cricketer. The soil of Haryana is made for sports, and people across the state actively promote sporting activities,” she remarked.
With 741 runs at an average of 24.70 and a strike rate of 86.46 across 31 ODI innings, including five fifties, Shafali Verma has already carved her niche as one of India’s most dynamic openers. Her ability to respond to opportunity, rising from omission to match-winner in a matter of days, now stands as one of the great redemption stories in India’s sporting folklore.
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