Shafali sympathises with injured Pratika but focuses on World Cup semi-final against Australia: 'God has sent me here…’

The last thing that Shafali Verma wanted was an in-form Pratika Rawal getting injured but she feels that it indeed had to be divine intervention which would see her getting pitchforked into the Indian playing eleven in a World Cup semi-final against Australia after not even being a part of the official reserves let alone the squad proper.

Shafali was leading Haryana in National Women’s T20 when she was summoned from Surat to Mumbai on SOS after Rawal sustained a hairline fracture on her ankle while fielding in the last group league game against Bangladesh.

“What happened with Pratika, as a sportsperson, it wasn’t a good thing. No one wants any sportsperson to sustain such an injury. But God has sent me here to do something good,” Shafali told mediapersons ahead of the marquee semi-final clash against Australia.

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Shafali had hit a 24-ball 55 in her last outing for Haryana and also had a string of good scores for India A in their recent tour to Australia.

While her record in WODIs is modest – an average of 23 across 29 games and only four half-centuries, the big stage isn’t new for the 21-year-old, who had played the T20 World Cup final in Australia back in 2020.

“I was playing domestic (cricket) and I was in a very good touch and talking about the semifinals, it’s not like it’s something new for me because I have played in the semifinals before It depends how I keep myself clear mentally and keep giving myself confidence. I have played in semifinals before,” she said.

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Shafali is still trying to get a grip of 50 over format which doesn’t come to her as easily as the T20 where she enjoys a strike-rate of 131 and has played 90 games for the national team.

“I was playing T20s but as a batter, it’s not that easy to switch. But we had a practice session today as well as yesterday (Tuesday). I tried to stay calm while batting. I tried to play good balls along the ground and and those that were in my range, I tried to hit them well.

“I have had long batting sessions in the last two days, today and tomorrow and I felt great knowing I did all that I was trying to do,” she added.

‘There is nothing to panic about’

In the past couple of years, she has been in and out of the team due to inconsistent form but as she checked in, she was welcomed as if she had never left.

“When I joined the team, everyone was very welcoming and it felt good to see that and all the players I have spoken to have boosted me up,” she said.

“All the players I have spoken to, coach, captain and even Smriti di, they all said that I have to play my game. There is nothing to panic about and when I am getting this kind of freedom, I will try to respect the good balls and I will obviously hit those who are in my length (hitting range).”

Having played a lot of games against Australia, Shafali knows what is expected of her in a big-ticket clash.

“I have played against Australia a lot of times and it’s not the case where I would assess first and then react. I know how their bowlers bowl. I have to back my strengths (because) absolutely they will come hard at us and we have prepared well for it,” she said.

In semi-final, just 100 percent won’t be enough and one would need to give 200 percent, she said.

“We are in the semis now and everyone knows that we have to give 200 per cent. There is no other chance because it is a knockout (game) and everyone will try to give their best.”