Shafali Verma's 55 off 24 seals India series win; 'couldn't sleep after last game'
Synopsis
Shafali Verma's 55 off 24 balls sealed India's T20I series against Zimbabwe — but the real story is what happened the night before: a sleepless self-audit after a poor dismissal, a session with old batting videos, and a corrected technique. It is a snapshot of a batter who has visibly rewired her mental approach since being dropped and recalled in 2025.
Key Takeaways
Shafali Verma hit 55 off 24 balls in the second Women's T20I against Zimbabwe at Raipur on Sunday.
India sealed the three-match series 2-0 with one game to spare.
Shafali and captain Smriti Mandhana shared a 96-run opening stand .
Shafali revealed she could not sleep after her soft dismissal in the first T20I, and watched 2-3 of her old batting videos to correct her technique.
Niki Prasad , Shafali's Delhi Capitals teammate in the WPL, was praised for her all-round impact in the series.
Shafali attributed her mental growth to lessons from 2025 , when she was dropped, returned, and won Player of the Match in the Women's ODI World Cup final.
Shafali Verma smashed a blistering 55 off 24 balls in the second Women's T20I against Zimbabwe at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur on Sunday, steering India to a series-clinching victory with a match to spare — and revealing afterwards that a sleepless night following her soft dismissal in the opener had pushed her to revisit her own batting footage.
The India vice-captain shared a 96-run opening stand with captain Smriti Mandhana, who saw the side home after Shafali holed out with India needing just seven more runs. The win sealed the three-match series 2-0, with one game still remaining.
The sleepless night that sparked a comeback
'To be honest, the way I got out in the last match, I couldn't even sleep because of my body language. It's not just because I got caught out. My body language was bad. I went and watched the video. So, I think I went and analysed how I can bat better,' Shafali said in a video posted on bcci.tv on Monday.
She explained that she identified a technical flaw — playing without bending low enough to the ball — and deliberately corrected it. 'I watched 2-3 videos of mine. So, I tried to look at the ball and react and play by bending a little because the wicket is low. So, I was trying to go ball by ball and play till the end,' she added.
A series win dedicated to the youngsters
Shafali was quick to redirect credit toward the squad's emerging talent. 'First of all, I'm feeling very happy for the youngsters because we have a lot of young players and this series is a win for them. This series is only for them and we will dedicate this series win to them,' she said.
She singled out Niki Prasad — her teammate at Delhi Capitals in the Women's Premier League (WPL) — for her all-round contributions. 'The way Niki bowled, I was really happy for her and the way she is doing, not just bowling, not just batting, not just fielding, the way she is creating the impact,' Shafali noted, adding that Prasad's instincts in the field were already familiar to her from the franchise circuit.
Mental evolution after a difficult 2025
Shafali's current form carries added weight given the journey behind it. She was dropped from the Indian team in 2025 before returning for the series against England and going on to win the Player of the Match award in the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup final. She acknowledged that a persistent habit of dwelling on good performances used to hold her back.
'In 2020, 2022, 2023 — the matches in which I used to score, I used to stay in that match only. Like I would go, "Oh, I scored" and I couldn't think about the next match. So, I think I learnt this in 2025 that how quickly I have to move forward mentally,' she said.
She described her evolved approach as starting 'from zero' in every game — focusing on what the team needs in the moment rather than replaying past successes.
Vice-captaincy role and the team environment
Shafali also spoke warmly about shouldering the vice-captaincy alongside Mandhana. 'I try to talk to every player so that they stay mentally free and in a good space. Me and Smriti di are trying to keep a good environment and as a vice-captain, I'm trying to help Smriti as much as I can — on the field, off the field,' she said.
With the third and final T20I still to be played, Shafali indicated the side would use it to further sharpen their plans and give the younger players more opportunity to build confidence.
Point of View
Or default to the tried-and-tested. A series already won is the perfect laboratory; what they do with it will say something about the team's actual depth ambitions ahead of the next ICC cycle.
NationPress
19 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Shafali Verma perform in the second T20I against Zimbabwe?
Shafali Verma scored a blistering 55 off 24 balls, anchoring a 96-run opening stand with captain Smriti Mandhana to power India to a series-clinching victory in Raipur on Sunday. Her innings was the cornerstone of India sealing the three-match series 2-0 with a game to spare.
Why did Shafali Verma say she couldn't sleep before the second T20I?
Shafali said her poor body language during her soft dismissal in the first T20I against Zimbabwe left her unable to sleep. She responded by watching two to three of her old batting videos to identify and correct a technical flaw — specifically, not bending low enough to the ball.
Who is Niki Prasad and why did Shafali praise her?
Niki Prasad is a young India women's cricketer and Shafali's teammate at Delhi Capitals in the WPL. Shafali praised Prasad for her all-round impact — with bat, ball, and in the field — during the Zimbabwe series, saying she was already familiar with Prasad's instincts from their time together at the franchise.
How has Shafali Verma's mental approach changed since 2025?
Shafali admitted that in earlier years she would dwell on strong performances rather than focus on the next game. After being dropped from the team in 2025 and subsequently returning to win the Player of the Match award in the Women's ODI World Cup final, she said she learned to move on quickly, 'start from zero' in each match, and keep her focus on what the team needs.
What did Shafali Verma say about her vice-captaincy role?
Shafali said she is enjoying the vice-captaincy and focuses on keeping the younger players in a positive mental space, working closely with captain Smriti Mandhana to maintain a good team environment both on and off the field.
