Navi Mumbai: Shafali Verma feels that fate has provided her with a significant opportunity to excel on a major stage after being unexpectedly named to India’s squad for the Women’s ODI World Cup semi-final against Australia. The 21-year-old opener takes the place of Pratika Rawal, who is sidelined due to a hairline fracture in her ankle sustained during India’s last group match against Bangladesh.
Leading Haryana in the National Women’s T20 Championship when she received the call from Mumbai, Shafali expressed her determination to seize this moment. “What happened with Pratika, as a sportsperson, it wasn’t a good thing. No one wants any sportsperson to sustain such an injury. But God has sent me here to do something good,” she stated during a pre-match press conference.
Despite modest statistics in ODIs, where she averages 23 across 29 matches, Shafali brings significant experience from major tournaments, including the T20 World Cup final in 2020 held in Australia. Recently, she showcased her skill by scoring a quick-fire 55 runs off 24 balls for Haryana and delivering consistent performances for India A during their tour of Australia. Adapting her style from T20 to the 50-over format has posed challenges; however, she mentioned her intensive preparations.
“I was playing T20s but, as a batter, it’s not that easy to switch. But we had a practice session today as well as yesterday. I tried to stay calm while batting. I focused on playing good balls along the ground, and for those in my range, I attempted to hit them well. I have had long batting sessions the last two days, and I felt great knowing that I accomplished what I aimed to do,” she added.
With extensive experience against Australia, Shafali is aware of what to anticipate from their bowling attack. She emphasized the importance of assessing conditions while remaining confident in her strengths. “I have played against Australia a lot of times, and it’s not a case where I would assess first and then react. I know how their bowlers bowl. I have to back my strengths, as they will come hard at us, and we have prepared well for it,” Shafali concluded.
