Recalled batter Shafali Verma impresses with bat and ball in India’s training session.
Navi Mumbai
As India gear up for their ICC Women’s World Cup semifinal clash against Australia, all attention was on Shafali Verma during the team’s training session at Navi Mumbai. The 21-year-old, recalled as a replacement for the injured Pratika Rawal, made her first appearance with the squad since the T20I series in England earlier this year.
Sporting her T20I jersey and a confident smile, Shafali stood out as she joined key players Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Richa Ghosh for an extended session under head coach Amol Muzumdar’s watchful eye. After a 15-minute team huddle, Shafali moved to the practice nets, facing a mix of spinners and pacers in an intense batting drill.
Known for her fearless stroke play, Shafali didn’t hold back—experimenting with reverse sweeps, upper cuts, and lofted drives. Muzumdar was seen advising her to play straighter, and she responded by targeting shots over cover and mid-off. Her aggression against pace and spin reflected both confidence and determination to make an impact in the semifinal.
Interestingly, Shafali also rolled her arm over during the session, bowling to Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma, as bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi fine-tuned her line and length. Her all-round effort hinted she might contribute with the ball against the defending champions.
Meanwhile, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh, recovering from a finger injury, trained briefly with gloves and bat, suggesting she may return to the playing XI.
India will need a collective effort to challenge the formidable Australian side, but on Tuesday evening, all eyes were firmly on Shafali Verma, the dynamic young star preparing to shine on the big stage.
