Navi Mumbai: The Women’s World Cup 2025 ended with India women registering an emphatic victory, etching their names in the history books. Taking on South Africa women in the final of the tournament at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on November 2.
There were several performances from the game that stood out; however, star batter Shafali Verma was one of the most influential performers from the game. Coming into the squad as a replacement for Pratika Rawal after her injury, Shafali Verma stepped up and scored 87 runs in 78 deliveries.
Furthermore, Shafali also went on to take two wickets and conceded 36 runs in the seven overs that she bowled. Her influential performance in the final helped her win the Player of the Game award as well. Doing so, the star player went on to become the youngest to win the Player-of-the-Match award at an ODI World Cup final at just 21 years & 278 days.
Shafali Verma speaks after the win
After winning the Player of the Match award, Shafali Verma took centre stage and reflected on her performance. She revealed how she had mentioned that God had sent her to do something nice for the team, and that is exactly what she pulled off with a masterclass in the World Cup final.
“I said at the start, that God has sent me here to do something nice, and that reflected today. Very happy that we won and I cannot express it in words. It was difficult but I had confidence in myself – that if I can stay calm, I could achieve everything. My parents, my friends, my brother, everyone supported me and helped me understand how to play. It was very important for my team and myself, and I just wanted to make my team win,” Shafali Verma said in the post-match presentation ceremony.
