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In a significant development ahead of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, the BCCI Women’s Selection Committee has announced the 15-member squad for the marquee event, with star batter Shafali Verma being a notable omission. The much-awaited squad, announced on August 19, will be led by Harmanpreet Kaur, who is set to captain India in an ODI World Cup for the first time. Smriti Mandhana has been named as her deputy for the home tournament, which begins on September 30 with India taking on Sri Lanka in the opener.
Shafali Verma exclusion from India Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 squad
Shafali’s absence from the squad comes as a major surprise, particularly given her recent run of form. Despite her consistent performances in domestic and franchise cricket, the selectors have opted to leave the explosive opener out. Shafali was the leading run-scorer in the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy, amassing 527 runs at an impressive average of 75.29 and a staggering strike-rate of 152.31. Her recent performances for India A against Australia A, where she scored a fifty and a 30-plus score, were also not enough to secure her a place.
Chief selector Neetu David addressed the media on the decision, stating, “Shafali is currently playing in Australia for India A. She is in our system – it’s not that she’s not in our system. We have our eyes on her as well. We hope that being more in the system, the more she plays, the more experience she gains and she will serve India in the future,”. Her statement suggests that while Shafali remains a part of the future plans, the selectors are prioritizing consistent performers for the immediate tournament.
A new-look opening partnership for ODI World Cup 2025 for India
With Shafali’s exclusion, the selectors have entrusted the second opener’s slot to Pratika Rawal, who will partner with vice-captain Mandhana. Since her debut last December against the West Indies, Rawal has been in impressive form, tallying 703 runs at an average of 54.07 in just 14 innings, a performance that has earned her the nod over the more experienced opener. The team, which is coming off a historic 2-1 WODI series win in England, will look to build on that momentum as they begin their World Cup campaign. After their opening match against Sri Lanka, India will face a series of strong opponents including Pakistan, South Africa, Australia, England, New Zealand and Bangladesh in the group stage.
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