Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has disclosed that it was purely an instinctive call to bring Shafali Verma to bowl in the final of the Women's World Cup 2025 on Sunday, November 2. Shafali struck twice with the ball after top-scoring for India with 87 off 78 in the first innings to win the Player of the Match award.
Harmanpreet admitted that the intuitive call was made on the basis of Shafali's exploits with the bat earlier in the day. The captain also acknowledged that the 21-year-old was ready
to take on the responsibility.
"When Laura and Sune were batting, they were looking really good, and I just saw Shafali standing there. The way she was batting today, I knew today's her day. She was doing something special today, and I just thought I have to go with my gut feeling. If my heart is saying I should give at least one over to her, I'm going to give her. And then I just asked her, 'can you bowl one over?' She was so ready, and she's always wanted to bowl for the team. I think that was a turning point for us," stated Harmanpreet during the post-match ceremony.
Shafali, who was drafted into the setup as an injury replacement of Pratika Rawal, produced the wickets of Sune Luus (25 off 31) and Marizanne Kapp (4 off 5) in her first two overs to put Indiain the driver's seat. She did a solid job, conceding only 36 runs in seven overs while coming on as a fifth-change alternative. Shafali had bowled in only five ODI innings prior to the summit clash.
With the bat, her 87-run knock comprised seven fours and two sixes. She fell 13 runs short of her maiden ODI ton while trying to clearing mid-off. She was the second wicket to fall for the Women in Blue. While Shafali won the Player of the Match award, Deepti Sharma was adjudged the Player of the Tournament for registering 215 runs and picking up 22 wickets.
