Even the fiercest talents in sport are tested not just by opposition bowling attacks or hostile crowds, but by moments of doubt, omission, and the long, grinding slog back from rejection to reward. This was never truer than in the extraordinary 2025 chapter of Shafali Verma’s career, a story that has quickly taken its place among cricket’s most human, dramatic arcs.
In mid-2025, when India’s 15-member squad for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 was announced, the absence of Shafali Verma, one of the game’s most electric and unpredictable talents, sent shockwaves through the cricketing world. The selectors opted for “continuity and consistency,” turning instead to Pratika Rawal, who established their rhythm in the 50-over game.
Despite a rich T20 resume and proven match-winning potential, Verma wasn’t in the squad initially, a decision that challenged her confidence and posed the kind of personal crossroads every elite athlete eventually faces. Speaking later about that period, Shafali was candid about the hurt and doubt she experienced.
“When I began training again, I wasn’t feeling happy or confident about being back and had to grind that sadness out of me. The start of 2025 was easily the lowest point of my life,” she admitted, a rare, vulnerable moment from a batter known for her fearlessness. “But you know the saying, right? Sohne ko jitna ragdoge, utna shine karega (gold shines better the more you polish it). I stayed low, kept the ifs and buts out, and focused only on myself and my game.”
Then came the twist that no one saw coming. With Pratika Rawal sidelined by injury just days before the crucial semi-final, the selectors turned to Verma as a replacement. For many, this might have been a moment of vindication. For her, it was a fresh chance to deliver on the stomach-churning promise that had never quite translated in the 50-over format. And deliver she did.
In the final at DY Patil Stadium, Shafali Verma produced one of the most inspiring displays of her still-young career. An 87-run blitz from her bat turned tension into momentum, and when she followed it up with two incisive wickets, it was clear this was not merely a comeback, it was a declaration. She was rightly named Player of the Match in India’s historic 52-run victory over South Africa, a triumph that marked the nation’s first Women’s Cricket World Cup title.
That story of snub to stardom defined the World Cup, but the narrative threads didn’t end there. In the 2025 Women’s Premier League (WPL) off-season, Delhi Capitals made a surprising strategic move: releasing long-time captain and Australian legend Meg Lanning, while retaining Shafali Verma alongside Indian stars such as Jemimah Rodrigues, Marizanne Kapp, and Annabel Sutherland.
This decision, tinged with emotion, strategy, and the business realities of franchise cricket, became another talking point for fans and pundits alike. The absence of Meg Lanning, whose leadership had shaped Capitals’ identity across three finals, underscored the evolving landscape of women’s franchise cricket: fresh priorities, local heroes rising, and a new generation of leaders emerging. For Shafali, it was more than a loss, not having Meg Lanning to learn from this WPL 2025 season.
“I will miss Meg (Lanning) a lot. Only I know how excited I was for the WPL because I would get to bat and learn from her. She was always keen to teach and motivate me, especially stressing the importance of singles in building an innings,” Shafali Verma said.
For Shafali, it was more than retention, it was recognition that runs, grit and sheer belief can reshape perceptions and open doors that once looked closed. In her own words, the years of hard work, pain, and constant self-reminders were all leading to moments like this, moments where a young cricketer from Rohtak stood tall, not because the path was easy, but precisely because it never was.
(Quotes sourced from Sportstar)
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