Shafali Verma’s Heroics and India’s Search for Stability

Shafali Verma lit up the senior women's One-Day Trophy quarter-final with a breathtaking 197 off just 115 balls for Haryana against Bengal in Rajkot. Her innings, studded with 22 boundaries and 11 towering sixes, propelled Haryana to a formidable 389 for 5. However, Bengal pulled off an incredible chase, reaching the target with five balls and five wickets in hand, setting a new record for the highest successful chase in women’s List A cricket. The previous best was 309 by Northern Districts against Canterbury in 2019.

Bengal’s victory was a true team effort. Openers Dhara Gujjar (69 off 49) and Sasthi Mondal (52 off 29) got the chase off to a blistering start with a 100-run partnership in just over nine overs. Tanusree Sarkar anchored the innings with a commanding 113 off 83 balls before Priyanka Bala sealed the win with an unbeaten 88 off 81 deliveries. Sarkar also contributed with the ball, picking up 3 for 56.

For Shafali, this was her second century of the tournament, having smashed 139 off 98 balls against Uttar Pradesh earlier. Across seven matches, she amassed 527 runs at an impressive average of 75.28 and a blistering strike rate of 152.31. Despite her stellar domestic form, Shafali finds herself sidelined from India’s white-ball squads. Dropped from the ODIs against Australia after managing just 108 runs in six matches this year, she was also omitted from the series against the West Indies.

India, meanwhile, has struggled to find a consistent partner for Smriti Mandhana at the top of the order. During the Australia series, Priya Punia and Richa Ghosh were tried, with Ghosh later clarifying that her promotion to opener was a planned move rather than an emergency adjustment. Against the West Indies, Delhi’s Pratika Rawal partnered Mandhana, contributing a steady 40 in a successful 110-run opening stand.

Shafali’s last appearance for India was in the home series against New Zealand in October, where she managed only 56 runs across three innings. Her struggles extended to the T20 World Cup in the UAE, where she scored just 97 runs in four games as India exited in the group stage.

When questioned about Shafali’s exclusion, Harmanpreet Kaur deflected responsibility, suggesting it was a decision best explained by the selection committee. Weeks earlier, however, Harmanpreet had spoken about Shafali’s importance to the team, expressing confidence in her ability to return to form. 

"She is a very important player for us and has done exceptionally well for the country," she had said ahead of their series opener against Australia in Brisbane. "We are looking forward to seeing her get back into her zone and perform well for the team."

Shafali’s absence raises questions about India’s selection strategy, but her dominant performances in domestic cricket suggest she’s far from finished. Fans and selectors alike will hope to see her reclaim her place at the top soon.