Rohtak celebrates cricketer Shafali’s brilliant performance in World Cup

Cricketer Shafali Verma’s brilliant performance in the World Cup final, which helped India clinch the Women’s World Cup, brought her hometown Rohtak alive late at Sunday night as locals thronged her residence in the Ghanipura locality to congratulate her family and join in the festivities.

The family distributed sweets, danced to the beat of drums and set off crackers as celebrations continued into the early hours of Monday. The Verma family and relatives are now eagerly waiting for Shafali’s return.

“No fixed schedule has been set for Shafali’s return, but the entire family is eagerly waiting to meet her. We spoke to her over a video call immediately after the World Cup victory. We believe in simplicity, so no grand celebration has been planned. She will be welcomed in the same heartfelt, simple way we always have,” said Sanjeev Verma, her proud father.

Verma, who runs a jewellery shop, said the entire family was overjoyed by her stunning performance. “Shafali promised to give her 100 per cent to the team and she did. We are so proud of her. She not only scored a brilliant 87 runs but also took two crucial wickets, sealing India’s victory,” he added.

Recalling the tense moments before the final, Verma shared, “Shafali was originally not part of the World Cup squad and got in as a replacement for another opener Pratika Rawal. She was a bit nervous since she couldn’t perform well in the semi-final, so I motivated her by reminding her of her past achievements like her double century in Test cricket, her record-breaking season in the Women’s Premier League and her crucial knocks in previous international matches.”

Her father said that the family’s financial situation was not very strong, but Shafali’s passion for cricket was unwavering. As a child, she used to play in the streets with a plastic bat. Through these street games, she improved both her technique and timing. Her father recalled that from a very young age, her focus was entirely on cricket. She practiced batting every day, constantly working to better herself. By the age of 15, Shafali had earned a place in the Indian women’s team. During her early training, she used to play cricket with boys to strengthen her batting. She even cut her hair short to look like a boy. Later, her school formed a girls’ cricket team in which Shafali played a pivotal role.

Shafali’s mother, Parveen Bala, said, “After Shafali’s brilliant innings, her father first went to the ‘puja ghar’ to seek the blessings of God. Tears of joy welled up in his eyes. The win turned our home and locality into a festive hub. It feels like another Diwali in our house, our locality and the city. Everyone is celebrating.”

She credited her daughter’s stellar performance to the blessings of Goddess Mansa Devi. “It was only by the Goddess’ grace that Shafali earned a place in the Indian team and played a key role in securing the win in the final. When she returns home, the entire family will visit the Goddess’ shrine again to offer their prayers and offerings. Shafali loves home-cooked food, so I will prepare whatever she asks for when she arrives,” added her mother.

Shafali’s younger sister Nancy added that the family had full faith in Shafali and the team. “We watched the live telecast at the cricket academy and were so excited throughout the match. We always knew she would play a big role in the final,” she said with pride.

Father thanks team captain

Shafali’s father said he spoke to her soon after India’s World Cup victory and found she was overwhelmed with emotion. “I asked her to hand over the phone to captain Harmanpreet Kaur. I thanked Harman for giving Shafali the opportunity to play in both the semi-final and the final, and even allowing her to bowl. Harman told me that since it was Shafali’s day, she decided to give her the ball and Shafali justified the trust by taking crucial wickets,” Verma added.