Updated on: Nov 02, 2025 08:37 pm IST
Shafali Verma scored a stunning 87 off 78, helping India secure a strong position in the Women’s ODI World Cup final against South Africa.
Shafali Verma lit up the Women’s ODI World Cup final with a fearless 87 off 78, then fell in the 28th over. This happened just minutes after R Ashwin had tweeted tipping for ‘a big hundred’ from the batter. The coincidence set social media buzzing, but it couldn’t dim the quality of an innings that had put India in a commanding position against South Africa.
The 21-year-old opener was drafted into the squad during the knockouts. Even though she failed to perform in the semi-final, Shafali Verma looked crisp from ball one in the big game. She looked primed to convert when Ayabonga Khaka teased a lofted miscue, Sune Luus accepted the chance at mid-off, and a sparkling knock ended on 87.
How things unfolded
As Shafali neared three figures, Ashwin posted on X, “A big hundred from Shefali will put this final on track with the 2003 men’s World Cup final,” adding a fingers-crossed emoji. Within minutes, Khaka resulted in the demise of Verma. Ashwin reacted to his own post with a sad-face emoji; the replies were filled with playful ‘jinx’ barbs. The timing made for an irresistible subplot, but even the light-hearted ribbing acknowledged what the knock had already done, setting a tone India craved in the high-pressure match.
The dismissal came in the 28th over, Khaka took pace off the delivery, Shafali went aerial, and Luus at mid-off completed the catch. Deepti Sharma built on the start that Verma gave and scored her half-century. She combined with Richa Ghosh in the end to take India’s total to 297 in 50 overs.
The significance of Verma’s 87
Beyond the viral moment on social media, Shafali’s 87 felt like validation of India’s selection and role clarity at the business end of the tournament. The right-handed batter looked comfortable in the crease, and her 104-run partnership with Smriti Mandhana for the opening wicket calmed any sort of nerves that could have affected the team. The partnership allowed the middle-order to propel the team’s total to a formidable one.
India will now look at their bowlers to give them a good start with the new ball by picking up Laura Wolvaardt’s wicket early. Harmanpreet Kaur and the management will also look to work on limiting the middle-order of the Proteas. Notably, in the league stage, Nadine de Klerk played a brilliant knock to pull off a heist against India.
