Star Indian batter Shafali Verma credits an inspiring encounter with cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar for her match-winning heroics in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup final against South Africa. Verma, surprisingly drafted into the squad just last week after an injury to opener Pratika Rawal, delivered a commanding innings of 87 runs. This phenomenal knock was the cornerstone of India’s historic first Women’s Cricket World Cup championship.
The final performance was a powerful comeback for the dynamic 21-year-old, who had faced challenges in the ODI setup, including being dropped the previous year. Her initial outing in the World Cup, a semi-final against Australia, yielded only 10 runs. Post-victory, Verma expressed how seeing Tendulkar on the field provided a significant psychological lift. “When I saw him (Tendulkar), it gave me an incredible boost. I kept talking to him and he kept giving me confidence,” she remarked. “He is the master of cricket, and we keep getting inspired just looking at him.”
Beyond her explosive batting, Verma proved her all-round capability by taking two vital wickets with her bowling. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s bold decision to entrust Verma with crucial overs during the Proteas’ chase paid off handsomely. Kaur cited a strong ‘gut feeling’ for the bowling selection, emphasizing Verma’s readiness and the potential regret of not trying. The quick wickets secured by Verma were identified as the game-changing moments that swung the momentum in India’s favor.
Verma admitted that despite being on the fringes of the national team recently, her self-belief remained unshaken. “It was difficult but I had confidence in myself, that if I can stay calm, I could achieve everything,” she said. Her primary objective was to lead her team to victory, a goal achieved through clear planning and execution, supported by her teammates. The encouragement from senior players to play her natural game was the key to unlocking her potential in this memorable final.