Meet Shafali Verma, 21: Hid Being Dropped From Father After His Heart Attack, Shines In Final Match

The 2025 Women's World Cup final has captured the world's attention. As the match unfolds, India's young opener, Shafali Verma, has once again proved her grit on the grandest stage. After being recalled into the squad as a late injury replacement, the 21-year-old has silenced her critics with an impressive 87-run knock off 78 balls, along with picking up two crucial wickets in the beginning as of now.

However, her journey to the world stage has not been easy despite bringing home the first Under-19 women's World Cup. Know how Shafali had to go from hiding the news of being dropped from the Indian side after her father suffered a heart attack to rising on the global stage.

Why was Shafali Verma dropped from the Indian women's squad?

Just a few months before India's women's cricket team was about to be selected for the ODI World Cup 2025, Shafali faced one of the most difficult phases of her life, both personally and professionally. On one hand, she was dropped from the Indian squad for the Australia tour after a string of low scores due to her inconsistent scores with the bat. On the other hand, her father's health was deteriorating day by day. Recalling how she did not dare to break the news to her father, Shafali told The Indian Express:

"I didn't want to reveal it because my father had a heart attack just two days before I got dropped. He was still in the hospital, and I told him only after a week."

Despite being in a recovery phase, Shafali's father, Sanjeev Verma, a big cricket fan who played a significant role in her cricketing success, stood by her. He reignited her belief in herself and helped her return to the basics of the game, just the ones which made her India's youngest T20 International debutant at 15. That significant period of self-reflection became a turning point in her career. Away from internationals, she scored more than 900 runs across different forms in domestic cricket. It included multiple centuries under her belt, marking her return in the game.

Shafali Verma went from being an injury replacement to a star performer in the ODI World Cup 2025 final

Despite Shafali Verma's return to the game, she was not selected in India's Women's ODI World Cup squad. The selectors went ahead with Pratika Rawal, who gave strong performances before the squad selection, securing her seat as the opener. However, destiny had its own plans as Pratika suffered an unfortunate ankle injury during the league match against Bangladesh, making space for Shafali's return. Although she had a brief stint at the crease in the Semi-final against Australia, with questions around her ability to play in big games, she answered with the bat and ball. 

More about Shafali Verma 

Shafali Verma is known for being one of India's most fearless and dynamic women cricketers in India. She comes from Rohtak, Haryana, where her father was a big cricket fan and all her siblings used to play the game. After developing an interest in the game, her father cut her hair short and made her pose as a boy after the local cricket academy refused to enrol a girl. At the young age of 15, she became India's youngest T20I debutant, and her explosive batting instantly drew comparisons to Virender Sehwag. Over the years, she has achieved several notable milestones, including leading India's U-19 team to its maiden World Cup title in 2023. 

What do you think about Shafali Verma's incredible comeback to World Cup 2025 final star performer for India? 

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