Shafali Verma’s 55 steers India to T20I series win over Zimbabwe after self-scrutiny and study of Australians
Shafali Verma scored 55 off 25 balls to help India seal the T20I series against Zimbabwe on Sunday, October 18, as India chased 103 in 11.5 overs and won by nine wickets. The 21-year-old opener’s innings alongside Smriti Mandhana’s unbeaten 47 completed the victory.
Shafali said during the post-match presentation: "In 2025, when I was back at home, I was thinking about what I can improve. Consistency was one of those things and I analysed the Australian batters to see what they were doing to try and improve." The admission followed a period in 2025 when inconsistent returns cost her a place in India’s ODI side ahead of the Women's World Cup. She returned to domestic cricket, worked toward a comeback and was later named as an injury replacement in the World Cup squad.
Pratika Rawal had established herself alongside Smriti Mandhana in the original World Cup squad, scoring 308 runs in six group-stage innings at an average of 51.33, including a century against New Zealand that helped India reach the semi-finals. Rawal was injured while fielding against Bangladesh in India’s final group-stage match and was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament, opening the door for Shafali’s recall. Shafali had not played an ODI for India in a year when she was added to the squad ahead of the semi-final against Australia and scored 10 in that match as India progressed to the final.
In the World Cup final against South Africa, Shafali scored 87 off 78 balls and shared a century opening stand with Mandhana; she also took two wickets, dismissing Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp. India won the final by 52 runs to claim their maiden Women's ODI World Cup title, and Shafali was named Player of the Match. That performance provided a resurgence after her earlier omission from the original squad.
Shafali carried form into the 2026 Women's Asia Cup, registering scores of 64 against Thailand, 28 against Hong Kong, 12 against Pakistan, 64 against Bangladesh and 68 against Sri Lanka. Across those matches she repeatedly provided India with quick starts while the team went on to win the title. Her sequence of contributions in the tournament was part of a sustained run of form.
At the Asian Games in Japan, Shafali scored an unbeaten 40 off 15 balls against hosts Japan before producing her maiden T20I century against Bangladesh in the semi-final. She made 100 not out off 49 balls, including nine sixes, as India posted 195 for four, and then scored 48 in the final against Sri Lanka as India retained their gold medal. Those innings preceded her recent T20I performances for India.
In Sunday’s match versus Zimbabwe, Shafali’s 55 off 25 and Mandhana’s 47 not out completed the chase of 103 in 11.5 overs and secured a nine-wicket win. India captain Mandhana said: "Shafali was just doing her thing and I was happy to take singles. And when my chances came, I took them. That's the brand we want to play." The result extended the run of high-impact starts from India’s opening pair.
Shafali attributed her improved consistency to the work she did after being left out of the original World Cup squad in August, studying other batters and addressing areas for improvement; after being drafted into the World Cup as an injury replacement she has since produced a sustained run of form.
