Navi Mumbai, November 3 (Udaipur Kiran) — Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur lauded Shafali Verma for her match-winning all-round performance in the ICC Women’s World Cup final, saying she had a strong feeling that “it was Shafali’s day” — a gut instinct that proved decisive in India’s historic title win.

In the final against South Africa, India set a target of 299 runs, and at one stage, South Africa’s captain Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus were building a threatening 52-run partnership. That’s when Harmanpreet made a crucial tactical move — she handed the ball to Shafali, who turned the game on its head.

Earlier, Shafali had already shone with the bat, scoring a career-best 87 runs off 78 balls. But with the ball, she produced a magical spell — taking two key wickets that shifted momentum in India’s favour. In just two overs, she first dismissed Laura Wolvaardt, taking a sharp catch off her own bowling, and then removed Marizanne Kapp with her very first delivery of the next over.

Speaking after the match, Harmanpreet said,

“When Laura and Sune were batting, they looked very comfortable. I looked at Shafali and somehow felt — it’s her day. My heart said to give her the ball. The moment I asked, ‘Will you bowl an over?’, she immediately said yes — and that over changed everything.”

Shafali was drafted into the playing XI just before the semi-final, replacing the injured Pratika Rawal. Recalling that moment, Harmanpreet shared,

“When she joined the squad, we told her we might need her for a few overs. She confidently said, ‘If you give me the ball, I’ll bowl ten overs for the team.’ That kind of confidence makes all the difference.”

The Indian skipper also reflected on the team’s belief throughout the tournament. She said that even though India had chased down 339 runs in the semi-final, they knew that a total of 298 in the final was enough given the pitch and conditions.

While Laura Wolvaardt’s fighting century put India under pressure, Deepti Sharma’s exceptional spell turned the tide, as she took crucial wickets and wrapped up South Africa’s innings — their last five wickets fell for just 37 runs.

Harmanpreet said,

“South Africa played really well, but in the final stages, they lost composure — and that’s where we grabbed the match.”

India’s road to glory wasn’t easy. After suffering three straight defeats in the league stage — against South Africa, Australia, and England — the team made a remarkable comeback, beating Australia in the semi-final and South Africa in the final to lift their maiden World Cup title.

“We always believed we could bounce back,” Harmanpreet added. “Every player kept a positive mindset and gave their best in the last three matches. Today, we finally reaped the reward of that belief and hard work.”

This historic triumph not only crowned India as world champions but also cemented Shafali Verma’s place as the face of India’s golden moment — a young star who shone with both bat and ball to script cricketing history.