Shafali Verma is back in the Indian team with a strong performance in the T20I series against England. Her good form has put her in the running for a spot in this year’s ODI World Cup. India’s head coach, Amol Muzumdar, said Shafali is “definitely” in the team’s plans for the World Cup, which starts in India on September 30.
Shafali was dropped from the team after India’s early exit from the T20 World Cup last October. But she made a strong comeback in the T20I series in England, where India won 3-2. Shafali was the second-highest run-scorer in the series, just behind her opening partner Smriti Mandhana. She scored 176 runs in five matches, with an average of 35.20 and a fast strike rate of 158.55. Her scores were 20, 3, 47, 31, and a quick 75 off 41 balls. Her two best innings came in close matches that England won on the last ball.
In the last match, Shafali smashed a half-century in just 23 balls. This is now the joint second-fastest fifty by an Indian woman, tied with Mandhana and only behind Richa Ghosh’s 18-ball record.
Shafali will not play in the upcoming ODI series in Southampton, starting Wednesday. Right now, Pratika Rawal is India’s first-choice opener. Since her debut last December, Pratika has been in great form, averaging 63.80 in 11 matches. She scored her highest score of 154 against Ireland and has five half-centuries.
Coach Muzumdar said having strong players like Shafali and Pratika is a good problem for the team. “Pratika has started her career well, and Shafali has always been a match-winner. She will be part of our main group. We are lucky to have such talent,” he said.
Another big positive for India was the performance of young left-arm spinner Shree Charani. She made her T20I debut in this series and won the Player of the Series award. She took 10 wickets at an average of 14.80 and kept her economy rate low at 7.46. In her first match, she took 4 wickets for just 12 runs. Though she didn’t take a wicket in the final game, Muzumdar said her overall performance was excellent.
“She was one of the best players in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), and we picked her from there,” Muzumdar said. “We needed a left-arm spinner, and she has done a great job. Her improvement has been impressive.”
With Shafali’s strong return and new talents like Shree Charani stepping up, India’s team looks stronger than ever ahead of the World Cup. The competition for places is tough, but that’s a good sign for the team’s future.