India’s young batting sensation, Shafali Verma, has again shown the world why she can’t be written off after her match-winning performance in India’s ODI World Cup Final 2025. She scored 87 runs with her bat and picked up two wickets, despite not being a regular bowler, which increased India’s chances of winning. Interestingly, a week ago, she was not even part of the winning squad, coming in as an injury replacement before the semi-finals and becoming India’s game-changer. Similar to Shafali’s impressive journey to becoming a world champion, her path to the world of international cricket was not easy; however, her grit, combined with that of her father, Sanjeev Verma’s support made it possible.
Shafali Verma’s father dressed her as a boy to enrol her in the local cricket academy
Shafali Verma’s cricketing journey began in Rohtak, Haryana. Her father, Sanjeev Verma, is a jewellery shop owner, and her mother, Parveen Bala, is a homemaker. Her father, a die-hard cricket fan, had once dreamed of becoming a cricketer himself, and soon identified his daughter’s passion for the game. They both have been fans of Sachin Tendulkar, and Shafali’s father took her to watch the master blaster’s final domestic game when she was 8. However, the journey was not easy, as societal and gender barriers stood in the way of her success in the game.
