Smriti Mandhana Lauds Shafali Verma’s Determined Comeback Ahead of England T20I Series Opener

As India gear up to face England in the first T20I at Nottingham on Saturday, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana praised the resilience and form of fellow opener Shafali Verma, who is set to return to the national side after nearly eight months.

Shafali last played for India on October 29 last year before being dropped due to a dip in form. Since then, the young opener has worked her way back through consistent performances in the domestic and franchise circuits, drawing admiration from teammates and selectors alike.

Mandhana, speaking at the pre-match press conference, expressed her joy over Shafali’s return, saying, “She has had an amazing year. After her setback, she went back to domestic cricket and scored a bucketful of runs. She had a great WPL as well. No one ever doubted her talent. The way she came into the Indian team and dominated, she is a world-class player and always will be. For her to go back and do what she did was amazing to see. She deserves this comeback, and I am excited to open with her again.”

Shafali’s road to redemption began with the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy, where she captained Haryana to the quarterfinals. She emerged as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, amassing 527 runs at an average of 75 and a strike rate exceeding 152. Her standout domestic run continued in the Senior Women’s One Day Challenger Trophy, where she captained Team A and scored 414 runs at an average of 82.80 and a strike rate over 145, including a century and two fifties. Her nearest rival in the run charts trailed by nearly 200 runs.

The 2024 Women’s Premier League (WPL) further showcased Shafali’s form. Although her side, Delhi Capitals, endured a third consecutive runners-up finish, Shafali was their top run-scorer with 304 runs in nine innings, averaging 38.00 with a strike rate above 152.

Her return comes at a crucial time as India begins its build-up to two major tournaments: the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, which the country will host starting September 30, and the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup. With competition for top-order spots intensifying, Shafali’s performance in this five-match T20I series will be key. In her absence, youngster Pratika Rawal has impressed with 638 runs in 11 ODIs, averaging 63.80 with a century and five fifties.

India’s T20I Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (WK), Yastika Bhatia (WK), Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare, Radha Yadav

India’s ODI Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (WK), Yastika Bhatia (WK), Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare, Radha Yadav.