Shafali Verma

Shafali Verma is an Indian international cricketer and one of the most explosive opening batters in women's cricket. A right-handed batter and right-arm off-break bowler, she represents India across international formats and has also played for Delhi Capitals in the Women's Premier League.

Born in Rohtak, Haryana, Shafali began pursuing cricket at a young age despite the lack of girls' academies in her hometown. Her father Sanjeev Verma played a major role in her development, and as a child she even disguised herself as a boy to gain access to local cricket training.

Shafali made her international debut for India in 2019 at just 15 and quickly became known for her aggressive power-hitting. She reached the No. 1 position in the ICC Women's T20I batting rankings in 2020 and played a starring role in India's run to the Women's T20 World Cup final that year.

In 2023, Shafali captained India to victory in the inaugural ICC Women's Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup. She was also named in the ICC Team of the Tournament. In the inaugural WPL auction, Delhi Capitals bought her for ₹2 crore.

After being left out of India's initial squad for the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup, Shafali returned as a late replacement and produced a match-winning performance in the final against South Africa, scoring 87 and taking two wickets. She was named Player of the Match as India won its first Women's ODI World Cup.

Her form continued into 2026. She helped India win the Women's Asia Cup for a record eighth time and later starred at the Asian Games, where she scored her maiden T20I century against Bangladesh in the semi-final. She finished September 2026 with 360 T20I runs and six wickets and was nominated for the ICC Women's Player of the Month award.