In a truly poetic turn of events, cricketer Shafali Verma delivered India a World Cup victory, a remarkable achievement witnessed by her childhood hero, Sachin Tendulkar, from the stands in Navi Mumbai. This moment brought life full circle for Shafali, whose journey in cricket began with a fervent admiration for the Master Blaster.
Twelve years ago, in 2013, a nine-year-old Shafali Verma convinced her father, Sanjeev Verma, to close his jewelry shop for four days. Their mission? To watch Sachin Tendulkar play his final first-class match in Lahli. Sanjeev vividly remembers carrying his determined daughter on his shoulders just so she could catch a glimpse of Tendulkar, whose poster adorned her room. That experience ignited a spark in young Shafali. “Enough with the tennis ball, Papa, now I want to play with the leather ball like Sachin,” she declared.
On that momentous Sunday, as chants of ‘Shafali, Shafali’ filled the air, her emotional father was transported back to Lahli, recalling his daughter’s shouts of ‘Sachin, Sachin’. Shafali’s call-up to the World Cup squad was unexpected, coming after an injury to a key player. Despite her usual confidence, a hint of nervousness was apparent to her coach, Mahipal Singh.
“I told her, ‘You’ve got this. The management knows your importance, and that’s why they’ve called you. Just be yourself, a destructive opener. This is your chance to shine. You are the chosen one,'” Mahipal recounted. However, as India reached the final, Shafali’s past struggles with big matches – including the inaugural U-19 World Cup final in 2023, three WPL finals with Delhi Capitals, and losses in the T20 World Cup and Commonwealth Games finals – weighed heavily on her.
The night before the final, after a period of emotional struggle from being left out of the World Cup squad initially, Shafali called her family. Her father, sensing her distress, took the call privately. “Papa, darr lag raha hai, final mein record acha nahi hai mera (I’m scared, my record in finals isn’t good),” she confessed. Sanjeev reminded her of her resilience, from playing cricket after he cut her hair short like a boy to her training at Ram Narain Academy. He assured her that Sachin, her ‘god,’ would be watching. This conversation calmed her, and her performance was nothing short of extraordinary.
Ashwani Kumar, her long-time coach, who first saw her potential at age nine, noted her natural talent, comparing her to Sachin himself. “For her, offence is the best defence,” he stated. Shafali had faced challenges with inconsistency and fitness, which cost her a spot in the ODI side, though she remained in Test and T20I setups.
Sports scientist Krushmi Chheda Pawar highlighted Shafali’s dedication to her fitness journey. “She’s worked tirelessly on her fitness, but it took her some time to reach this level,” Krushmi explained, noting the unique challenges female athletes face post-puberty. “She’s been focusing on her overall fitness — diet, nutrition, and strength training. Everything has come together now. She’s realised that nutrition isn’t just about losing weight, it’s also about recovery. With experience, she’s become more disciplined.”
Her hard work paid off spectacularly in the final. Shafali not only scored a brilliant 87 off 78 balls, featuring 37 singles, five twos, seven boundaries, and two sixes, but also clinched two crucial wickets, derailing South Africa’s chase. Her coach, Mahipal, shared that she had been working on strike rotation and minimizing cross-batted shots, influenced by advice from her WPL captain Meg Lanning, which refined her technique and ball perception.
At just 21, Shafali is living a dream she held since childhood – to play for her country for 20 years, inspired by Sachin. His presence at the DY Patil Stadium undoubtedly provided her with calm and inspiration. “When I saw Sachin sir, I had an unbelievable feeling. I keep talking with him; he always gives me confidence. But I had goosebumps seeing him today,” she expressed post-match. The legend still inspires her, but now, alongside the echoes of “Sachin! Sachin!” she also hears “Shafali! Shafali!”