Haryana vs Bengal: Shafali Verma Responds to Critics with Blistering 197 in Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy Quarter-Final

Shafali Verma delivered a resounding response to her critics with a breathtaking 197 off 115 balls in the Senior Women’s One Day Trophy Quarter-Final against Bengal. The Haryana captain left out of India’s white-ball squads, showcased her batting prowess with 22 boundaries and 11 towering sixes, striking at an incredible rate of over 170.

Shafali’s knock was the backbone of Haryana’s imposing 395/5 at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. Her innings featured precise placement and aggressive power-hitting, targeting all seven Bengal bowlers. Most notably, she hammered three sixes off Sushmita Ganguly and struck eight boundaries against Prativa Mandi. Partnering with Reema Sisodia, Shafali added a 173-run opening stand, contributing 106 runs off just 69 balls.

Shafali’s innings earned widespread acclaim. Her performance came amid criticism following her exclusion from India’s ODI squad for the Australia series and T20I squad against the West Indies.

Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur previously expressed faith in Shafali, calling her a vital asset. She said:

She (Shafali) is a very important player for us and has done exceptionally well for the country. We are looking forward to seeing her get back into her zone and perform well for the team. I can only talk about the team, (the) team is here, and what (all) things we can do to win this series. Regarding Shefali or any other player, (it is) better to ask the right persons.

Shafali’s brilliant domestic showing serves as a reminder of her capability and hunger to return to the national side. With her powerful display, the Haryana opener reaffirmed her stature as one of the brightest stars in Indian cricket.