21-year-old Shafali Verma once again brought out her very best as she struck 55 off just 25 balls to help India seal the T20I series against Zimbabwe on Sunday, October 18.
Shafali’s dominant innings helped India win the match by nine wickets, with the opener once again displaying the form and consistency she has enjoyed in T20I cricket in recent months. Speaking after the game, Shafali revealed how introspection and analysing Australian batters helped her work towards becoming a more consistent run-scorer.
“In 2025, when I was back at home, I was thinking about what I can improve. Consistency was one of those things and I analysed the Australian batters to see what they were doing to try and improve,” Shafali said during the post-match presentation.
It was a revealing admission from a batter whose explosive approach has rarely been in question, but whose consistency had come under scrutiny. Shafali has always had the ability to take a game away from the opposition, but a difficult period in 2025 saw her lose her place in India’s ODI side ahead of the Women’s World Cup.
Since returning to the international setup as an injury replacement during the tournament, however, Shafali has put together an impressive run of performances. She played a decisive role in India’s maiden Women’s ODI World Cup triumph before carrying her form into the Women’s Asia Cup and the Asian Games, where she scored her maiden T20I century against Bangladesh in the semi-final.
WHEN THE RUNS STOPPED COMING
Shafali burst onto the international stage as a teenager, with her fearless approach and ability to take on bowlers making her one of India’s most exciting batting prospects. However, her returns were inconsistent, and the selectors eventually opted for a more dependable opening combination ahead of the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup.
Pratika Rawal had established herself alongside Smriti Mandhana, offering India a steady source of runs at the top of the order. Rawal scored 308 runs in six group-stage innings at an average of 51.33 during the World Cup, including a century against New Zealand that helped India reach the semi-finals.
Shafali, meanwhile, was left out of the original squad announced in August. For a player whose ability to dominate attacks was rarely in doubt, the omission underlined the importance of delivering consistently at the international level.
She returned to domestic cricket and continued working towards a comeback. Her opportunity arrived in unexpected circumstances when Rawal suffered an injury while fielding against Bangladesh in India’s final group-stage match and was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.
A WORLD CUP LIFELINE
Shafali was named as Rawal’s replacement ahead of the semi-final against Australia. She had not played an ODI for India in a year and was suddenly thrust into the knockout stages of a World Cup.
She managed only 10 runs against Australia in the semi-final, but India advanced to the final, giving her another opportunity to make an impact.
Against South Africa in the title clash, Shafali delivered a match-winning performance. She scored 87 off 78 balls, sharing a century opening stand with Mandhana, before taking two wickets, dismissing Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp. India won by 52 runs to claim their first Women’s ODI World Cup title, with Shafali named Player of the Match.
The performance was a dramatic return for a batter who had not made India’s original World Cup squad. It also gave her an opportunity to build momentum after a difficult period, with the final showcasing both her batting ability and her value as a bowling option.
A CONSISTENT RUN
Shafali carried that form into the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup, scoring 64 against Thailand, 28 against Hong Kong, 12 against Pakistan, 64 against Bangladesh and 68 against Sri Lanka. Although she had a low score during the tournament, she repeatedly provided India with quick starts as the team went on to win the title.
At the Asian Games in Japan, she continued to make an impact. Shafali scored an unbeaten 40 off 15 balls against hosts Japan before producing her maiden T20I century against Bangladesh in the semi-final. Her 100 not out off 49 balls, which included nine sixes, helped India post 195 for four. She then scored 48 in the final against Sri Lanka as India retained their gold medal.
Her latest performance against Zimbabwe was another example of the impact she can make at the top of the order. Shafali’s 55 off 25 balls, alongside Mandhana’s unbeaten 47, helped India chase down a target of 103 in just 11.5 overs.
India captain Mandhana was pleased to see Shafali deliver in a crucial match.
“Shafali was just doing her thing and I was happy to take singles. And when my chances came, I took them. That’s the brand we want to play,” Mandhana said.
Shafali’s own explanation for her improvement points to the work she put in away from the field. Rather than relying solely on the aggressive approach that made her a prodigy, she identified consistency as an area that needed attention and studied other batters in an effort to improve.
The attacking instincts remain central to her game, but her recent performances suggest she is finding ways to make them count more regularly. After a difficult spell that saw her miss out on India’s original World Cup squad, Shafali has turned an unexpected opportunity into a sustained run of form.
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