Cricketer Shafali gets grand welcome in hometown Rohtak

Star cricketer Shafali Verma, 21, who played a pivotal role in India’s triumph at the ICC Women’s World Cup with her remarkable all-round performance, received a rousing welcome on her arrival in her hometown Rohtak on Sunday. This was her first visit since the historic victory.

ADC Narendra Kumar, on behalf of the district administration, welcomed Shafali at the Rohad Toll Plaza near Sampla on the Delhi-Rohtak Highway. A large crowd had gathered to cheer for the hometown hero.

People raised slogans of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and waved the Tricolour, as patriotic songs reverberated the air. Some presented Shafali with floral and currency garlands, while others captured selfies with her. Shafali proceeded to the Circuit House waving at the cheering crowd through the sunroof of her car.

Cabinet Minister Krishan Bedi and former minister Manish Grover felicitated her at the Circuit House. Thereafter, a roadshow was held for the cricketer. She travelled to her Ghanipura residence in an open jeep of the district police. Along the route, people garlanded her and took selfies with her.

A felicitation function in her Ghanipura colony added to the celebrations, as neighbours and fans gathered to honor her remarkable achievement. Safali was warmly welcomed at home by her mother, Parveen Bala. The occasion witnessed emotional and heartwarming moments as people danced enthusiastically to the beat of drums.

Earlier, talking to the media, Shafali said the past one year had been very challenging for her, as she had to work extremely hard to improve her game.

“I kept working hard, and God rewarded that effort. When I joined the Indian team ahead of the semifinal, I was determined to perform well and contribute to the World Cup victory. The final is always a big stage; initially, I was a bit nervous, but I calmed myself down and focused on my strategy. That helped me deliver an all-round performance in the final,” she said.

Safali added that before the final match, her father, Sanjeev Verma, encouraged her by reminding her of her past performances. His words gave her the much-needed confidence to perform.

Recalling the crucial moments of the final, Shafali said, “I was asked to bowl, and my only thought was to take wickets. Dismissing their set batters at that stage proved to be the turning point. Once we got another wicket, the entire team was charged up to give 100 per cent to win the match.”

When asked whether she regretted missing out on a century, Shafali smiled and said, “A century doesn’t matter when you have won the World Cup.”

She also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, “The PM spent at least two hours with us and motivated us a lot."

When asked for a message to young girls, Shafali said, “Believe in your talent and keep working hard. Nothing is impossible if you have faith in yourself and put in consistent effort. I am delighted that our World Cup victory will help pave the way for setting up women’s cricket academies in every district of the state.” Shafali said she was looking forward to meeting Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on November 12.

Deputy Commissioner Sachin Gupta reached Shafali’s residence and honoured her grandfather, father, mother, and other family members. When asked about a possible government position for Shafali, Cabinet Minister Krishan Bedi said an announcement in this regard would be made by the Chief Minister.