Shafali Verma says chat with Sachin Tendulkar seconds before World Cup final changed everything
Shafali Verma's stellar performance, scoring 87 runs and taking two wickets, propelled India to their first Women’s World Cup title against South Africa.
On the biggest stage of her young career, Shafali Verma found her spark in a brief yet powerful encounter with the legend himself — Sachin Tendulkar. The 21-year-old opener, who was drafted into India’s squad only a week before the ICC Women’s World Cup final, produced a performance to remember as India lifted their first-ever Women’s World Cup title after defeating South Africa in a thrilling finale on Sunday.
Shafali smashed a dazzling 87 off 78 balls, setting the platform for India’s imposing total of 298/7, and later chipped in with two crucial wickets to turn the tide in India’s favour during South Africa’s chase. But according to the young star, the turning point for her confidence came hours before the match — when she saw and spoke to Tendulkar at the ground.
“When I saw him (Tendulkar), it gave me an incredible boost,” Shafali revealed after the win.
“I kept talking to him and he kept giving me confidence. He is the master of cricket, and we keep getting inspired just looking at him.”
For Shafali, the occasion was not just about redemption but also resurgence. Dropped from India’s ODI setup last year and struggling for form, she returned to the side after regular opener Pratika Rawal suffered an injury. After scoring just 10 runs in the semifinal against Australia, few could have predicted the turnaround that awaited her in the final.
Batting with freedom and fire, Shafali stitched key partnerships with Smriti Mandhana (45) and Jemimah Rodrigues (24) to give India a dream start. Her aggressive stroke play rattled South Africa’s bowlers and set the tone for a memorable victory that will go down in Indian cricket history.
But her heroics didn’t stop there. When captain Harmanpreet Kaur handed her the ball in a high-pressure situation during South Africa’s chase, Shafali struck twice in quick succession to remove two set batters — a move Harmanpreet later described as a “gut feeling” that paid off spectacularly.
“It was a gut feeling,” Harmanpreet said. “I thought it could be risky too, but at the same time, I was positive because she had shown confidence when we spoke to her.
When I gave her that over and she got back-to-back breakthroughs, that was the turning point for us.”
An emotional Shafali dedicated the win to her teammates and the support she received from India’s seniors.
“(I am) very happy that we won and I cannot express it in words,” she said. “It was difficult but I had confidence in myself that if I stayed calm, I could achieve everything.
My mind was clear, and I worked on my plans. Everyone was supporting me, and the seniors told me to just play my own game. That clarity was all I needed.”
From being left out of the squad to becoming the architect of India’s greatest cricketing triumph, Shafali Verma’s journey came full circle — powered by self-belief, support from her team, and a few words from the Master himself.
“Just seeing Sachin sir before the game made me believe that I could do something special,” she smiled.
And she did — leading India to their maiden World Cup glory and scripting a moment that will inspire generations to come.
