Shafali Verma was called up as an injury substitute for opener Pratika Rawal prior to India’s match against Australia in the semi-finals in Navi Mumbai, despite not even being included in the original roster for the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025. The famous opener stated that God has planned for her to return and that she is prepared to give it her best in the knockout match.
A major setback to India’s semi-final aspirations was Rawal’s injury. She was eliminated from the competition after the reliable opener hurt her ankle while fielding in the last group-stage match against Bangladesh. One of India’s most reliable players, Rawal averaged above fifty and scored a game-winning century against New Zealand. Though she was leading Haryana in the National Women’s T20 Championship at the time of the emergency call for international duty, Shafali Verma was able to take advantage of the setback.
The youthful opener, who was dropped from India’s ODI team last year because of her poor play, has put a lot of effort into improving. She scored 527 runs at an average of 75 in the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy, garnering a lot of attention for her domestic performances. She then had a successful WPL 2025 season with the Delhi Capitals, scoring over 300 runs. She also made an impact during India A’s tours of Australia and New Zealand, where she scored significant half-centuries. Although switching from Twenty20 to 50-over cricket hasn’t been simple, she acknowledged in the pre-game news conference that Shafali Verma feels ready.
“As an athlete, what transpired with Pratika wasn’t favorable. Nobody wants an athlete to suffer from such an ailment.
Shafali Verma remarked, “But God has sent me here to do something good.”
Her experience with Mandhana as an opening partner will be beneficial to India. When batting with Shafali Verma, Mandhana averaged over 50 runs, and the two last opened together in 2024. Even though the opener has only averaged 23 in 29 ODI games, he will undoubtedly provide a wealth of experience to this encounter. She also disclosed that she is confident in her ability to effectively handle Australia’s aggressive attitude.
As a hitter, switching is difficult, but I was playing T20s. However, we practiced both today and yesterday (Tuesday). I tried to remain composed as I was batting. I made an effort to play good balls along the ground and to hit the ones that were within my reach. I felt wonderful after completing all of my goals after my lengthy hitting sessions today and tomorrow,” Shafali Verma continued.
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