Shafali Verma Shines as India Claims ICC Women's World Cup 2025 Title
Celebrating Shafali Verma's Triumph
In New Delhi, Renu Bhatia, the chairperson of the Haryana State Commission for Women, has expressed her admiration for the young cricket star Shafali Verma following India's victory over South Africa in the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 final.
Bhatia stated, "I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Shafali Verma. Well done! I spoke with her father, Sanjeev Verma, and promised to visit their home for tea when I am in Rohtak, hoping to meet Shafali then."
Additionally, Bhatia announced that the Women's Commission plans to honor the talented cricketer for her outstanding contributions.
"We have decided to nominate Shafali Verma as our Ambassador for 2026," she mentioned.
Shafali, who stepped in as a replacement for the injured Pratika Rawal, played a pivotal role in the final match. She was awarded Player of the Match for her remarkable performance, scoring 87 runs off 78 balls and taking 2 wickets for 36 runs, leading India to their first Women's World Cup title.
This victory marked a significant comeback for Shafali, who had last played ODIs in October before rejoining the team for the semifinals against Australia. Despite her impressive T20I performance, where she scored 176 runs in five innings with a strike rate exceeding 158, her earlier ODI average in the low 20s and inconsistency had previously cost her a spot on the ODI team.
Pratika Rawal, who boasts an ODI average above 50 and was India's second-highest scorer in the tournament with 308 runs, including a century and a half-century, was expected to be a strong addition to the batting lineup. However, Shafali's explosive style and unexpected bowling prowess proved to be a game-changer against the South African team.
Batting first, India set a target of 298 runs, bolstered by a century partnership between Smriti Mandhana (45) and Shafali (87), along with late contributions from Richa Ghosh (34) and Deepti Sharma (58). Despite a brilliant century from South Africa's captain Laura Wolvaardt (101), who kept her team in contention, Shafali's surprising bowling spell and Deepti Sharma's impressive five-wicket haul (5/39) ultimately led to South Africa being bowled out for 246 runs. Shafali's exceptional performance earned her the 'Player of the Match' accolade.