With the Women’s Premier League 2025 on the horizon, Delhi Capitals are fine-tuning their preparations, eager to go one step further this season. After finishing as runners-up in both previous editions, the Meg Lanning-led Capitals are making every effort in their pursuit of the coveted title. At the heart of their campaign is the young opener, Shafali Verma who has been a prominent contributor to the team’s success in the past two seasons.
The explosive right-handed batter has played a crucial role in Delhi Capitals’ journey, with her consistent performances. In the inaugural WPL season, she had scored 252 runs in 9 innings with a strike rate of 185.29. In the following season, she amassed 309 runs, at an average of 38.62. She was the third highest run scorer of the season, behind Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Ellyse Perry and her Capitals’ teammate Meg Lanning. Not only this, but she also topped the tournament charts for sixes, smashing 20 maximums and setting the tone for aggressive starts.
Shafali reflected on her growth as a player, crediting WPL for the opportunities that it has provided. “The players get to play a good number of matches in WPL. You get some very good opportunities to make small tweaks here and there in your game. Personally, I have learnt how to build my innings while being a part of WPL,” she highlighted.
She expressed that the league has provided her with an invaluable learning experience, allowing her to refine her game while observing the strategies of top international players. She has particularly admired the composure and level-headed approach that overseas cricketers maintain both on and off the field, something she has tried to incorporate into her own game.
Further, Shafali talked about a challenging period in her life. The last few months have truly tested her resilience. She was dropped from the ODI squad last November, and only days before she learnt this news her father suffered a heart-attack, adding to the turmoil.
However, as they say, the comeback is always greater than the setback, the youngster bounced back with a stellar performance in the Senior Women’s One-Day Challenger Trophy, finishing as the leading run-scorer. Her tally of 414 runs in five matches, averaging 82.80 with a strike rate of 145.26, included one century and three fifties, sending a strong message to selectors about her determination to return to the national side.
“To be honest, the past few months have been tough for me. My father suffered a heart attack, and just a couple of days later, I was dropped from the ODI squad. So, it was a mentally difficult phase, but my father encouraged me, and my family stood by me throughout. I’ve realised that my job is to score runs whenever I get the opportunity, and that’s where I want to focus. The only thing in my control is my preparation, if I train well and score runs, I know I can come back stronger,” she said.
As the Capitals prepare for their opening match against Mumbai Indians on February 15, in Vadodara, they are working tirelessly to ensure they are at their best. “The preparations are going in full swing. The atmosphere here is really good, and everyone is gelling up quite well,” Shafali shared, highlighting the team’s rapport and readiness for the challenge ahead.
(Quotes sourced from Delhi Capitals press release)
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