Shafali Verma reveals why she didn’t inform her father about Team India’s abandonment of the series for Ireland

In an emotional revelation, young cricket prodigy Shafali Verma shared why she maintained her exclusion from the Indian women’s cricket team Ireland secret series The decision came at a time when his family was dealing with a health crisis, highlighting the personal challenges athletes often face behind the scenes.

The reason for the silence

Shafali, known for her aggressive batting style and leadership on the field, explained that her father had suffered a heart attack just two days before the team selection was announced. Concerned for his health and well-being, Shafali chose not to burden him with the news of her departure from the team.

“It is not easy to overcome it. I didn’t want to reveal it because my dad had a heart attack about two days before I was cut from the team.” Shafali told the Indian Express.

A week of secrecy

For an entire week, Shafali kept this information from her father, making sure he was in a stable condition before revealing the truth. He eventually told her about his exclusion while he was still in the hospital, but he was recovering.

“I hid the news from him until he got better. He was in the hospital. I told him a week later.” Shafali added.

Also READ: India’s 5 highest partnerships in women’s ODIs with Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal

Pratika Rawal shines as Shafali Verma’s replacement

Notably, Shafali featured in the ODI series against new zealandbut his performances fell short of expectations, with scores of 33, 11 and 12 in three games. Her inconsistent form saw the selectors take a bold decision to drop her from the squad for the Ireland series. Instead, Pratika Rawal was brought in, and quickly proved his worth at the top of the batting order.

Rawal’s impressive run of form includes a century and three half-centuries in just six matches, cementing her position as a reliable opener and adding new dynamism to the team’s batting line-up. This decision not only reflects the selectors’ focus on rewarding performance, but also highlights the fierce competition within the squad, where players must consistently deliver to keep their places.

Also READ: India’s 5 highest individual scores in women’s ODIs with Pratika Rawal

This article was first published in WomenCricket.coma Cricket time company