Women's Premier League 2025: Shafali Verma is ready for the upcoming WPL challenge

With the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025 on the horizon, Delhi Capitals are busy conducting their pre-season camp in Pune, meticulously honing their skills in preparation for the upcoming season. As excitement grows around the highly anticipated competition, Delhi's opener Shafali Verma took a moment to reflect on the team's preparations and the profound impact the WPL has had on her career. Verma, who has been a crucial figure for the Capitals, played in both the inaugural finals in the first two seasons of the WPL. She expressed her gratitude for the opportunities the league provides, highlighting the immense value it offers in terms of game time and experience.

The WPL, according to Verma, has allowed players like her to gain significant exposure to top-level cricket and sharpen their skills by playing alongside and against some of the best international talent in the world. The tournament has not only contributed to the growth of women’s cricket in India but has also played a major role in enhancing the players' skill sets, with Verma specifically emphasizing the benefit of learning from international cricketers and improving her own game through these interactions. The Delhi Capitals, with a strong squad led by players like Shafali, are gearing up to make their mark in WPL 2025 and continue their impressive journey.

“The preparations are going in full swing. The atmosphere here is really good and everyone is gelling up quite well. The players get to play a good number of matches in WPL. You get some very good opportunities to make small tweaks here and there in your game. Personally, I have learnt how to build my innings while being a part of WPL," Shafali Verma said after an initial training session.

Shafali Verma, the young Delhi Capitals opener, faced a challenging phase in November last year when she was dropped from the ODI squad. However, the unwavering support of her family played a crucial role in keeping her motivated and focused. Despite this setback, Verma did not lose heart and instead channeled her energy into improving her game.

Her perseverance paid off when she finished as the leading run-scorer in the recently held Senior Women's One-Day Challenger Trophy. Verma scored an impressive 414 runs in five matches, with an average of 82.80 and a strike rate of 145.26. Her remarkable performance included one hundred and three fifties, proving her resilience and determination to bounce back stronger. Now, Verma is determined to make a strong return to the national side. Her recent success in the Challenger Trophy has certainly put her back in the limelight, and she is eager to regain her spot in the Indian team. With her talent, dedication, and the support of her family, Verma is ready to take on new challenges and continue to shine in the world of women’s cricket.

"To be honest, the past few months have been tough for me. My father suffered a heart attack, and just a couple of days later, I was dropped from the ODI squad. So, it was a mentally difficult phase, but my father encouraged me, and my family stood by me throughout. I’ve realised that my job is to score runs whenever I get the opportunity, and that’s where I want to focus. The only thing in my control is my preparation, if I train well and score runs, I know I can come back stronger," Shafali concluded.