New Delhi, September 26, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
For Shafali Verma, the road back to the Indian women’s cricket team began with one of the toughest phases of her career. Being dropped from the side left her devastated, but the setback also gave her an opportunity to work on her mental approach, skills and fitness.
A year later, Shafali was back in the national team and played a decisive role in India’s maiden Women’s ODI World Cup triumph before becoming the leading run-scorer as India retained the women’s cricket gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games.
“When I was dropped from the team, it was the saddest moment that cricket has given me in my entire life,” Shafali said during a media roundtable facilitated by JSW Sports.
She said accepting the setback was the first step towards rebuilding herself.
“I accepted everything. Yes, I’m not in the team, but I have to work hard. And I have to utilise this time very well,” she said.
Shafali worked on her mental health, cricketing skills and fitness during her time away from the national side, while her family provided crucial support. Her return came after Pratika Rawal suffered an injury, opening the door for Shafali to join India’s squad for the 2025 ODI World Cup.
The comeback reached its high point in the final against South Africa, where Shafali scored 87 and took two wickets as India lifted their first Women’s ODI World Cup trophy.
She said the emotional reaction after the victory was linked not only to the title but also to the effort that had gone into earning her place back in the team.
“Whatever trophies and medals we win, in front of my eyes, all my hard work and all my sweat comes in front of me,” she said.
The reception she received from her teammates and coaching staff after returning to the dressing room also played an important role.
“The way they welcomed me at that time, I think that’s the happiest thing as a player,” Shafali said.
She also praised the team environment, saying players were encouraged to remain comfortable, express themselves and perform without fear or hesitation.
At the Asian Games in Japan, Shafali produced another outstanding campaign. She topped the tournament’s scoring charts with 188 runs at an average of 188 and a strike rate above 200. Her campaign included 40 against Japan in the quarterfinal, a 49-ball century against Bangladesh in the semifinal — the first century in the history of women’s cricket at the Asian Games and her maiden T20I hundred — and 48 in the final against Sri Lanka.
India defeated Japan by eight wickets, Bangladesh by 114 runs and Sri Lanka by 147 runs to successfully defend their gold medal.
For Shafali, however, the latest trophies are part of a larger journey for Indian women’s cricket.
“We’ll just try to bring more and more trophies to grow Indian women’s cricket,” she said, adding that the World Cup victory had helped raise the profile of the women’s game in India.
Her career already includes several milestones. She became the youngest player to score 1,000 runs in women’s T20Is, reached the top of the T20I batting rankings, led India to the inaugural Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup title in 2023 and scored 205 against South Africa in a Test match in 2024.
After experiencing the disappointment of being dropped and then returning to win major titles, Shafali now views her achievements as motivation to contribute further to Indian women’s cricket and make the country proud.
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