The grand finale of ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 is underway between India and South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
After winning the toss, South Africa opted to bowl first, but India’s opening pair made them regret the decision. Returning batter Shefali Verma, who replaced injured Pratika Rawal in the squad, produced a sensational knock, marking her best performance in ODI cricket.
Opportunity Born from Setback
India suffered a setback when opener Pratika Rawal injured herself while fielding against Bangladesh in the final group-stage match.
Her absence opened the door for Shefali Verma, who had been out of the team for quite some time. With the spotlight on her comeback, Shefali faced immense pressure to deliver.
She had scored only 10 runs off 5 balls in the semi-final against Australia, which raised eyebrows among fans. But in the final, the young opener silenced her critics in style.
Shefali’s Power-Packed Knock
Taking full advantage of the opportunity, Shefali Verma played a commanding innings of 87 runs off 78 balls, striking 7 fours and 2 sixes at a brisk strike rate of 111.54.
Partnering with Smriti Mandhana, who added 45 runs, Shefali helped India get off to a strong start. At the time of writing, India stands at 171/2 after 29 overs, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues at the crease, eyeing a total beyond 300 to put pressure on the Proteas.
Harmanpreet Kaur holds key
Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur now carries the team’s hopes after Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues fell in quick succession. India had earlier made a solid start, thanks to an excellent opening partnership between Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana. India have reached 203/3 after 36 overs.
Shafali was the star of the innings with a blistering 87 runs off 78 balls, while Mandhana contributed 45 runs before getting dismissed.
During her knock, Smriti also achieved a major milestone – she surpassed Mithali Raj’s 2017 record of 409 runs to become India’s highest run-scorer in a single edition of the Women’s World Cup, finishing this tournament with 434 runs.
