24 December 2025 Punjab Khabarnama Bureau : India Women opener Shafali Verma has emphasised the importance of being prepared for every role in the team, revealing that all batters regularly bowl in the nets to train for different match situations—an approach aligned with head coach Amol Muzumdar’s philosophy.
Shafali smashed a 34-ball 69 to power India to a seven-wicket victory in the second T20I against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, giving the hosts a 2–0 lead in the five-match series.
Speaking about bowling options at the post-match press conference, she said, “Of course, I will talk about myself. I like to bowl a lot, and when we get bored while fielding, we get to bowl. That way, we can contribute more to the team.”
She added, “Amol sir always tells the team that anyone can bowl and everyone should be ready. We all keep bowling in the nets and prepare for that. Everyone is very keen to bowl. Even Smriti didi bowls, and Jemimah and I also bowl in the nets.
“Cricket is a different game. You never know when the team will need you, so we all have to be ready.”
Shafali’s unbeaten 69 was her career-best WT20I score in India. It was her fifth half-century in home conditions and her 12th overall in the format.
Acknowledging India’s recent fielding lapses, Shafali said the team has been working hard to improve, especially with the T20 World Cup scheduled next summer in the UK.
“Everyone is very keen to work hard. We all know next year is the T20 World Cup, and we are paying attention to every small detail. We missed catches in the first match, but everyone is putting in effort in fielding. Day by day, we are improving,” she said.
Shafali now has 2,299 runs from 92 WT20Is at an average of 26.73 and a strike rate of 132.58.
She also expressed her happiness for young left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma, who picked up her maiden international wicket in her second game.
“She wasn’t that happy, but we were all very happy for her. She is bowling really well and looks very confident,” Shafali said.
Reflecting on the first two matches, the 21-year-old added, “There have been a lot of good things in these two games. We know we are putting in a lot of effort, and day by day we are improving.”
Explaining her approach during the chase of 129, Shafali said she initially focused on rotating the strike until conditions became more favourable for stroke play.
“At the start, the ball was holding up, so I was trying to get a couple of singles. After that, the ball started coming on to the bat and was in my range. My main aim was to execute my plans,” she said.
Summary:
Indian women’s cricketer Shafali Verma revealed that coach Amol Sir consistently reminds the team that every player should be ready to bowl when required. She emphasized that this mindset fosters versatility, teamwork, and preparedness on the field. Shafali credited this approach for strengthening the team’s overall strategy and boosting confidence among players.