A big change in the team is made at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, the Indian player Shafali Verma has been taken into the team as a replacement for the injured player Pratika Rawal in the match between Bangladesh women vs India Women.

Before, both players were left out of the team, but later, Shafali Verma was added to the team because of the decision of the tournament’s Event Technical Committee amid the tournament’s crucial knockout stage.

Pratika Rawal’s ankle and knee injury is the reason why this decision and change were made in the team, mid-series.

The Significance of the Move

It is one of the most bold decisions made by the selectors in the tournament so far. Shafali Verma, a 21-year-old who had never been a part of India’s original World Cup squad, is given the entry mid-tournament, which is a decision of high risk and high reward.

According to one report.

“India throws caution to the wind by recalling boom-or-bust x-factor Shafali Verma”

Verma has played various domestic and T20 tournaments for the team, but also was one of the players who was constantly criticised for inconsistency.

What Verma Brings to the Table

Even though Shafali Verma has never been a part of the Indian Women’s Cricket team during the World Cup matches, she does bring her own set of skills to the tournament.

• As she will play as an opening batter, she can provide an explosive start to the team in the matches.
• She will be rebring the youthful energy in the group, as she is quite young.
• Her recent performances in domestic matches show improvement in her performance, indicating that she is working back into rhythm.

The Challenge Ahead

Along with opportunities, this decision also brings its own challenges ahead, some of which are discussed below-

• Handling pressure: Shafali Verma is added to the team in the middle of the tournament, which adds pressure on the player to perform and deliver quickly. 
• Format adaptation: Even though Shafali Verma has played T20 and Test matches, the format of One Day International (ODI) is quite unique, and she will need to adapt the format quickly.
• Aligning with team balance: As she will be playing as the opening batter for the team, she will have a huge impact on the team’s dynamic, as previously Rawal played with a steady style, and now Shafali will have a more aggressive game style.

What This Means for the Team

The decision made by the spectators is very important for the team. This decision about  Verma highlights two things: 

• Flexibility in selection: In case of any injury and other health issues, the management is ready to change the match-ups of the team, and even replace the players if necessary.
• Valuing potential match-winners: even if Shafali Verma might not be a safe pick for the team, her game-changing potential is acknowledged by the selectors.

This decision might work against Australia, as the steady approach of the previous player would have been defensive, and the Indian Team might change their approach to an aggressive one for the match against the Australian women’s team.

Final Thoughts

Shafali Verma’s return to the Indian Women’s ODI cricket team is one of the most intriguing developments that has happened in the Women’s World Cup 2025. It is a story that can either be a story of redemption or remain a flash of opportunity; this all will depend on her performance as a new player on the team.

All eyes will be on Shafali Verma as she is the talk of the town, and people and fans have high hopes from her and the Indian Cricket Team as a whole.

Hoping to see the Indian Women’s team perform to their absolute best in the match against Australia and bring the trophy home.