“Chhorri ne dikha diya ki Shafali comeback karna jaanti hai!”

The father of Shafali Verma, the player of the Women’s World Cup final, sums up her unforgettable night in an earthy tone. It’s quite a comeback story, indeed. Not selected for the tournament, she played domestic cricket in front of untenanted stands, piled on runs, bowled more often than before, and kept training at the nets. And hoped for redemption.

When it came — due to an injury to opener Pratika Rawal — Shafali stamped her presence in a historic final against South Africa with both bat (76-ball 87) and ball (two game-turning wickets). Both these performances were her best returns in One-Day Internationals, helping script a 52-run victory at Navi Mumbai ’s D Y Patil Stadium as India became world champions for the first

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