The final months of 2025 marked a defining phase in Shafali Verma’s young but already eventful international career.
Once seen purely as a high-risk, high-reward prodigy, Verma closed the year as one of the most reliable and destructive openers in world cricket, playing a central role in India’s maiden ICC Women’s ODI World Cup triumph and a dominant home T20I series against Sri Lanka. Her run of performances between November and December did not just restore her place in the side; it redefined her role within it .
The context of Verma’s resurgence is crucial. Earlier in the year, she had been left out of India’s initial ODI World Cup squad, with concerns over her temperament and shot selection in the longer format. The omission forced her back into domestic cricket with Haryana, where she worked on discipline, patience, and risk management. Fate intervened when an injury to Pratika Rawal opened the door for Verma’s recall ahead of the knockout stages. What followed was a response that reshaped the tournament.
Her first major statement came on November 2, 2025, in the World Cup final against South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium. In the biggest match of Indian women’s cricket history, Verma produced an innings of control and authority, scoring 87 off 78 balls. Rather than reckless aggression, the knock was built on timing, placement, and an assured understanding of conditions. Alongside Smriti Mandhana, she neutralised the new ball and laid the foundation for India’s imposing total of 298.
Verma’s impact extended beyond batting; her off-spin removed Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp during the chase, effectively ending South Africa’s hopes. Player of the Match honours followed, along with the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for November.
That final proved to be the launchpad for a remarkable scoring streak. Over her next five international innings, Verma recorded four scores of fifty or more, an unprecedented burst of consistency in her career. The lone failure, a brief nine in the first T20I against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam, stood out only because of what followed. In the second T20I, chasing a modest target, she dismantled the Sri Lankan attack with an unbeaten 69 off 34 balls, finishing the match with 49 balls to spare.
Her strike rate crossed 200, but what stood out was efficiency rather than excess clean hitting, sharp footwork, and calculated targeting of bowlers.
The momentum carried into Thiruvananthapuram. In the third T20I, Verma scored another unbeaten 79, this time off 42 balls, sealing the series for India. She reached her fifty in just 24 deliveries, combining early powerplay aggression with assured strike rotation through the middle overs. The innings also saw her surpass Mithali Raj to become India’s third-highest run-scorer in women’s T20Is, a milestone that underlined how quickly her career totals have accumulated.
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If the third match showcased control, the fourth T20I elevated Verma’s surge into the record books. Partnering Smriti Mandhana, she was part of a historic 162-run opening stand, the highest for any wicket for India in women’s T20Is. Verma’s 79 off 46 balls set the tempo, allowing Mandhana to find her rhythm and push India to 221/2, their highest-ever T20I total. The partnership also confirmed Mandhana and Verma as the most prolific opening pair in women’s T20I history, overtaking established global combinations.
Technically, Verma’s evolution in 2025 was evident. While her power remains her most obvious weapon, she has added layers to her game. Improved footwork against pace, a wider scoring range on the off side, and better judgment against spin have made her harder to contain. Importantly, she no longer feels compelled to dominate every ball; by rotating strike and picking moments to attack, she has raised her scoring floor while retaining her explosive ceiling.
Equally significant has been the environment around her. India’s bowling unit consistently provided early control, reducing scoreboard pressure, while the presence of finishers like Richa Ghosh ensured that Verma’s starts were always maximised. This collective stability allowed her to play with freedom rather than fear.
At just 21, Shafali Verma now stands at a different point in her career trajectory. The volatility that once defined her has been replaced by a more sustainable, match-aware approach. Her sequence of scores 87 in a World Cup final, followed by 69*, 79*, and 79 captures not just a purple patch, but a player who has learned how to peak when it matters most.
As India looks ahead to tougher tours and the 2026 T20 World Cup, Verma’s late-2025 surge feels less like a spike and more like a signal. The prodigy has grown up, and Indian women’s cricket is stronger for it .
