Shafali Verma’s journey to India’s historic ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 triumph epitomises resilience, transforming an initial squad omission into a Player of the Match masterclass in the final.
Dropped from the original squad and overlooked for an injury replacement, the Haryana dynamo’s comeback against South Africa at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai, sealed a 52-run victory, the nation’s first senior-level ICC title. Her candid reflections on acceptance and hard work now fuel India’s winning momentum ahead of key series and tournaments.
India, led by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur under head coach Amol Muzumdar, hosted the 13th edition of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup from September 30 to November 2, 2025. Harmanpreet became the first Indian captain to lift an ICC senior title at home, with legends Mithali Raj, Anjum Chopra, and Jhulan Goswami, part of the broadcasting team, tearfully handing the trophy in a poignant tribute to past generations.
Shafali’s path was rocky from the start. Excluded from the initial squad, she faced further heartbreak when Uma Chetry replaced injured Yastika Bhatia. But Pratika Rawal’s ankle and knee injuries against Bangladesh opened the door. Shafali seized it, scoring just 10 in the semi-final against Australia before exploding in the final.
Her 87-run knock, her highest ODI score and first fifty in over three years, formed a 104-run opening stand with Smriti Mandhana, setting India 298. Then, trusted by Kaur with the ball, Shafali claimed 2-36 in seven overs, dismissing Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp. South Africa folded for 246, crowning Shafali Player of the Match.
In a revealing chat on Agenda AajTak with Nikhil Naz and Vikrant Gupta, Shafali shared her mindset, “Getting dropped from the World Cup team, and that too with the World Cup being on home soil, was a very tough feeling for me. But after that, I accepted everything, worked hard, set aside everything else, and focused only on myself. And I think God rewarded that hard work.”
This wasn’t mere luck; it was persistence paying off, underscoring Shafali’s growth since her 2019 debut.
Fresh off the ODI high, Shafali eyes the 10th ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5, 2026, India’s chance to build on their sole final appearance in 2020. She vows to make winning habitual, “This is always a dream, we will make it a habit, and we will bring even more World Cups to our home soil.”
Immediately ahead lies India’s five-match T20I series against Chamari Athapaththu-led Sri Lanka, from December 21-30, 2025, starting in Visakhapatnam. Shafali, retained by Delhi Capitals for Rs 2.20 crore in WPL 2026 (January 9 – February 5 at DY Patil, Navi Mumbai, and Kotambi, Vadodara), carries franchise momentum. Delhi has been runners-up thrice despite topping the table, with the Mumbai Indians (Harmanpreet Kaur) winning in 2023 and 2025, and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Smriti Mandhana) in 2024.
Shafali’s story inspires a new era for Indian women’s cricket, blending grit with glory.
(Quotes sourced from Agenda Aaj Tak)
Loves all things female cricket