Shafali Verma’s recent journey in Indian women’s cricket has been a story of setbacks, hard work and a return to the biggest stage. After being dropped from the Indian team, the young batter worked on her skills, fitness and mental approach before making a remarkable comeback.Her return was followed by a starring performance in India’s maiden Women’s ODI World Cup triumph in 2025. In 2026, she continued that run by becoming the leading run-scorer at the Asian Games as India successfully defended its women’s cricket gold medal.Key HighlightsShafali Verma was dropped from the Indian team before making her comeback.She worked on her mental approach, fitness and cricketing skills during her time away.She returned to India’s 2025 ODI World Cup squad as a replacement for Pratika Rawal.Shafali scored 87 and took two wickets in the World Cup final against South Africa.She was the top scorer at the 2026 Asian Games.She scored her maiden T20I century against Bangladesh in the Asian Games semi-final.India retained the women’s cricket gold medal at the Asian Games.Shafali Verma Opens Up About Her SetbackShafali has described being dropped from the Indian team as one of the saddest moments of her cricket career.Speaking to IANS in a media roundtable facilitated by JSW Sports, she said the period away from the team was difficult but gave her an opportunity to work on herself.Rather than allowing the setback to define her career, Shafali focused on her mental approach, skills and fitness. She also credited her family for supporting her during that period.Her comeback eventually came when Pratika Rawal suffered an injury ahead of the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup. Shafali was brought into the squad as a replacement.Shafali Verma’s World Cup Final HeroicsThe opportunity turned into one of the biggest moments of Shafali Verma’s career.In the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup final against South Africa, she scored 87 runs from 78 balls and also took two wickets as India secured its first-ever Women's ODI World Cup title. She was named Player of the Match for her contribution.For Shafali, the victory represented much more than a trophy. Her own account of the comeback has focused on the work she put in while outside the national team and the support she received from her family and teammates.She has said that the emotional reaction after the World Cup win was connected to seeing the hard work of that difficult period finally produce results.Asian Games Gold Adds Another MilestoneShafali continued her strong form at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan.She finished as the tournament's leading run-scorer with 188 runs. Her campaign included 40 runs against Japan in the quarter-final, a century against Bangladesh in the semi-final and 48 runs in the final against Sri Lanka.Her 100 against Bangladesh came from just 49 balls and was the first women's cricket century in Asian Games history. It was also Shafali's maiden T20I century.India went on to defeat Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final, retaining the women's cricket gold medal.Shafali later described standing on the podium with the gold medal and seeing the Indian flag rise as a particularly special moment.A Comeback Built on More Than BattingShafali's return has also involved developing other parts of her game.During her time away from the national team, she said she worked on her fitness and skills while also focusing on her mental approach. Her all-round contribution in the 2025 World Cup final showed the impact of that preparation.Her progress has continued in 2026, with recent analysis highlighting improvements in both her batting and bowling.The support she received after returning to the Indian dressing room was another important part of the comeback. Shafali said the welcome from her teammates and coaches gave her confidence and motivation.Shafali Verma’s Career MilestonesThe Asian Games gold is the latest addition to a career that already includes several major achievements.Shafali became the youngest player to reach 1,000 T20I runs and previously reached the top of the women's T20I batting rankings. She also led India to victory at the inaugural Women's Under-19 T20 World Cup in 2023.In 2024, she produced another landmark performance by scoring 205 against South Africa in a Test match.Her latest run of success has therefore added another chapter to a career that has already seen major highs and difficult setbacks.What Shafali’s Journey Means for Indian Women’s CricketShafali's comeback has coincided with a period of growing success for Indian women's cricket.The 2025 ODI World Cup victory gave the team its first title in the tournament, while the 2026 Asian Games gold added another major international achievement.For Shafali, the focus now extends beyond individual milestones. She has spoken about wanting to help Indian women's cricket win more trophies and continue building on the progress made by the team.Her journey from being left out of the national squad to contributing to World Cup and Asian Games victories has become one of the notable individual stories in Indian women's cricket over the past year.
