Mumbai, June 2026: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur revealed that selecting Shafali Verma as a replacement for injured opener Pratika Rawal during the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 was one of the quickest decisions the team ever made.
Pratika suffered an ankle injury during India’s rain-affected match against Bangladesh, forcing the team management to find a replacement ahead of the knockout stage. Recalling the moment on JioStar’s ‘Unstoppable’, Harmanpreet said the discussion lasted barely 30 seconds, with everyone unanimously backing Shafali’s inclusion.
Head coach Amol Muzumdar admitted Pratika’s injury was a major setback, describing it as the last thing the team wanted at such a crucial stage of the tournament. However, the management quickly shifted focus to finding the best possible replacement.
Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana said Shafali’s international experience and ability to provide an X-factor made her the ideal choice. She also reminded the young opener that her recall was earned through outstanding domestic performances and encouraged her to play freely.
For Shafali, the call-up marked a remarkable turnaround after the disappointment of missing the original World Cup squad. The explosive batter revealed that being left out was one of the toughest moments of her career, but she used the setback as motivation to work harder alongside her father and brother.
Shafali recalled receiving the unexpected call while relaxing at a hotel and admitted that mentally preparing for a World Cup semi-final after nearly a year away from the team was a significant challenge. Her return ultimately became one of the tournament’s most inspiring comeback stories.
