Shafali's comeback saga that inspired India's World Cup win

India opener Shafali Verma said her late inclusion in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup squad motivated her to give everything for the team as they went on to win their maiden title.

“When I joined the team ahead of the semi-final, I was determined to contribute to the World Cup win,” Shafali told reportters while speaking at a felicitation event in her hometown Rohtak.

“The final is always a big stage. Initially, I was a bit nervous, but I calmed myself, focused on my strategy, and executed it well. That helped me deliver an all-round performance.”

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As India beat South Africa by 52 runs in the summit clash, Shafali, who was brought in as a replacement for the injured Pratika Rawal just before the semi-final against Australia, went on to play a decisive role in the final.

The 21-year-old was adjudged the Aramco Player of the Match in the final after an all-round performance against South Africa, where she scored 87 runs and picked up two wickets in India’s win.

It was a significant comeback for Shafali, who had been dropped from India’s ODI squad against Australia earlier this year. Shafali returned to domestic cricket, determined to rediscover her rhythm before earning a recall to the ODI squad during the World Cup.

“The last year was tough for me. I faced many struggles, but I kept working hard and was rewarded by God for my effort,” Shafali said.

Her strong performance in the final capped a memorable tournament for India, who recovered from a slow start in the group stage to lift their title. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side had suffered three straight defeats before beating New Zealand in a must-win clash to reach the knockouts.

In the final, Shafali played freely and stayed calm even as the pressure built. She put up a 100-run stand with Smriti Mandhana for the opening wicket and was the top scorer in the side as India finished with 298/7 helped India post a big total.

Later on, her two wickets in successive overs, those of Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp, dealt a major blow to South Africa’s chase.

When asked about her approach in the final, she said: “I tried to stay calm and execute my plans, and things went as expected. The only thought was that we had to give our all in those seven hours for our country.”

The triumph marked India becoming only the fourth team after Australia, England and New Zealand to lift the coveted title.