India captain Harmanpreet Kaur was full of praise for young Shafali Verma, who was named Player of the Match for India in their victorious final against South Africa in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025.
Speaking after the match, Harmanpreet said that she went with her gut feeling and gave the ball to Shafali.
“When Laura and Sune were batting, they looked really good. I saw Shafali standing there, and from the way she batted earlier, I just knew it was her day. My heart said, ‘Give her one over.’ I went with my gut. I asked her if she was ready, and she said yes immediately,” she said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
“She’s always wanted to contribute with the ball, and that over changed everything for us. When she first joined the team, we told her she might need to bowl two or three overs. She said, ‘If you give me the ball, I’ll bowl ten for the team!’ That’s how confident she is. She’s fearless, positive, and always ready to step up for the team.”
Shafali provided a superb start for India alongside Smriti Mandhana, with the pair adding 104 runs for the first wicket. The 21-year-old played an aggressive innings of 87 off 78 balls, including seven fours and two sixes, at a strike rate of 111.54. With the ball, she took two wickets in consecutive overs, which began to tilt the match in India’s favour.
Harmanpreet believes they had a decent score in hand, considering it was a final, and praised her bowlers for taking wickets at the right moments to seal the match.
“Today’s pitch was very different – the rain and overhead conditions made it tricky. We knew 290 was a fighting total in a final. Finals always come with pressure. Credit to South Africa – they played beautifully. But in the end, when they panicked a bit, we seized the moment, took those crucial wickets, and turned the game our way. Very special,” she added.
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