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“God has sent me…”: Shafali Verma on faith, fire and fulfilling her World Cup triumph

Aakash Saini

Shafali Verma after 2025 ICC Women's World Cup [Source: @Adityakrsaha/x]Shafali Verma after 2025 ICC Women's World Cup [Source: @Adityakrsaha/x]

Team India trumped South Africa in a nail-biting finale to lift the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. Facing Proteas on Sunday, November 2 in front of a packed DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai; Team India put up an all-round exhibition.

Shafali Verma was one of the headline acts for India in the game, as the youngster cracked a swift 87 with the bat before grabbing two key wickets through her cunning off-breaks. As one can expect, Shafali was fittingly declared the ‘Player of the Match’ for her efforts.

Shafali Verma gets emotional after match, cites Sachin factor

While speaking during the post-match presentation ceremony as she received her ‘Player of the Match’ award, Shafali Verma took a spiritual turn, attributing her match-winning performance to divine purpose. She also credited her family for all their support and faith in her throughout her journey. Shafali Verma said:

“I had said at the beginning, God has sent me to do something nice. It's a special feeling. It was hard but I had the confidence in myself. I had the belief that I can do something special. My family kept supporting me. My brother also supported me. It was a big match and it was important for me to contribute.”

Shafali Verma also revealed that she stuck to her mindset, and credited senior pros like Smriti Mandhana and captain Harmanpreet Kaur for their assistance. She added:

“Today, my mind was very clear. I executed my plans. Smriti kept talking with me. Harman didi supported me. All were welcoming and very supportive. Everyone said play in your style and when they say such thing, it boosts your confidence.”

Shafali Verma also added that she was motivated to perform on the big day, especially after meeting her childhood hero Sachin Tendulkar in the stadium.

“A memorable moment for me. When I saw Sachin sir, I had an unbelievable feeling. I keep talking with him. He keeps giving me confidence. But I had goosebumps on seeing him today.”

It is worth noting that Shafali Verma was only added to the Indian team before the semifinal match against Australia as an injury replacement for Pratika Rawal. While Shafali failed to make an impact against Australia, she delivered a ‘Player of the Match’ spectacle in the final.