Smriti Mandhana on Shafali Verma: A Deserved Comeback After Eight Months
Smriti Mandhana on Shafali Verma: India’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has expressed immense delight and strong backing for the return of dynamic opener Shafali Verma to the national squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against England. Mandhana believes Verma’s comeback is well-deserved, following an eight-month-long snub from both the T20I and ODI sides, a period that began before last year’s tour of Australia. This highly anticipated return highlights Verma’s resilience and the impact of her recent performances in domestic cricket and the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Smriti Mandhana on Shafali Verma
Shafali Verma’s omission from the national setup was primarily attributed to inconsistent form in ODIs, which unfortunately had a ripple effect on her T20I career. However, the young batter responded to the setback with remarkable determination, ensuring she remained in the headlines through stellar performances. She amassed “bucket loads of runs” in various domestic 20-over and 50-over matches. Her purple patch culminated in an outstanding WPL 2025 season, where she scored an impressive 304 runs in nine innings for Delhi Capitals (DC) at a phenomenal strike rate of 152.76, second only to Harmanpreet Kaur among batters with over 300 runs. She also finished as the leading run-scorer amongst Indian batters in WPL 2025. This commanding domestic display was a clear message to the selectors. Smriti Mandhana on Shafali Verma
“She’s had an amazing year,” Mandhana said ahead of the first T20I on Saturday, June 28th. “Once the setback had come, she went into domestic, scored bucket loads of runs, and had an amazing WPL. I mean, no one had any doubts about her talent, the way she had come into the Indian team and dominated. I mean, she is a world-class player and always will be, but for her to go back and do what she did in the last one year was amazing to watch. I mean, she deserves this comeback and I’m really excited to open with her again.” This glowing endorsement from her opening partner signifies the confidence and excitement within the team about Verma’s return. Smriti Mandhana on Shafali Verma
India’s Preparation and Eyeing the T20 World Cup 2026
The Indian team prepared for the upcoming series by playing a 20-over and a 50-over tour game against the ECB Women’s Development XI in Beckenham. While India suffered narrow losses in both warm-up fixtures, Mandhana, speaking in the press conference, emphasized the importance of these matches for acclimatizing to England’s conditions. This was particularly crucial for the many younger players on their first tour of England.
“Of course, we got to know a lot of things about the England conditions and all, especially for a lot of girls, it’s their first England tour, so it was important for them to come here early and get used to the conditions. So, the preparation has been good leading up to the series,” Mandhana explained. She also highlighted the long-term vision, stating that the series serves as vital preparation for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, which will also be held in the UK. “Because we have a T20 World Cup next year around the same time, it will be around the summer of the UK, which is again similar conditions,” she added. The series, therefore, offers a critical opportunity for the team to fine-tune strategies and combinations under conditions similar to the upcoming global tournament. Smriti Mandhana on Shafali Verma
Mandhana concluded her remarks by expressing confidence in the relatively inexperienced pace-bowling lineup, acknowledging the absence of several first-choice bowlers due to unfortunate injuries sustained over the past four to five months. Despite these setbacks, she views it as an exciting opportunity for new talent. “But for others, it is really exciting. I mean, WPL has been good in terms of finding new players, and of course, the domestic system as well – with the amount of matches the girls play nowadays,” she said. This reflects the optimism about India’s growing talent pool and the role of domestic tournaments like the WPL in unearthing new stars.
The return of Shafali Verma, coupled with Mandhana’s confidence in the squad, sets the stage for a compelling T20I series against England, starting June 28th. The partnership between Smriti Mandhana on Shafali Verma at the top of the order will be keenly watched, as India aims to kickstart their 2026 T20 World Cup preparations on a strong note. Smriti Mandhana on Shafali Verma
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