The story of Shafali Verma's spectacular rise to become the Player of the Match in the 2025 Women's World Cup final is not just about cricket talent. It's a testament to the unwavering determination of her father, Sanjeev Verma, a failed cricketer turned jeweler from Rohtak, who refused to let destiny rob his daughter of her dreams.
The Father Who Saw Real Jewels
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked Shafali Verma about her journey from the land of pehelwans to the world of cricket, her brief answer barely scratched the surface of her father's monumental efforts. Sanjeev Verma, who runs a small jewelry shop in Sunaar Gully, had his own sporting ambitions cut short but was determined to see his reflection in his children.
Sanjeev's life savings and his wife's gold jewelry were once stolen by a conman posing as a RAW official, leaving the family with just Rs 236 to survive. Despite this devastating blow, the early morning cricket training sessions with Shafali and her younger brother never stopped.
Finding Cricket Grounds in Unlikely Places
Sanjeev's search for 22 yards in crowded Rohtak became a daily mission. The space under a half-built flyover, empty streets before shop shutters went up, parking lots, and corners of maidans where weddings took place - these became their makeshift cricket grounds.
After the financial setback, their routine included a detour to the marshland next to Rohtak's reputed English medium school. Here, Sanjeev would ask his children to search for cricket balls that wealthy players wouldn't bother retrieving, using them until the seams burst open.
Back home, Sanjeev demonstrated his commitment by tearing down the wall of his small jewelry shop to create training space. A leather ball tied with a string hanging from the roof still greets visitors to their verandah, standing in stark contrast to the glass case displaying imitation jewelry.
The Making of a World Cup Hero
Sanjeev's constant advice to Shafali was simple yet powerful: "Hit the ball hard and never get intimidated by bowlers, regardless of their reputation." This philosophy paid off spectacularly when Shafali took Australian pace legend Ellyse Perry to the cleaners, hitting four boundaries in one over after her father's stern words following an earlier dismissal.
Shafali's journey wasn't without setbacks. She wasn't initially selected for the 2025 World Cup squad, and the news came at the worst possible time when her father was hospitalized recovering from a cardiac episode. However, when opener Pratika Rawal got injured just before the semi-final, Shafali, who wasn't even in the reserves, received a call-up and ultimately became the Player of the Match in the final held at DY Patil Stadium on November 2, 2025.
The Next Generation
The Verma household might have another cricket sensation in the making. Shafali's younger sister, Nancy, now 12 and part of Haryana's under-16 probables, continues the family tradition. Even as a child, she would demonstrate remarkable power while hitting the hanging ball, threatening the china on the tea table with her forceful shots.
Sanjeev Verma may describe himself as a kaarigar who makes ornaments, but his true craftsmanship lies in polishing cricketing diamonds. As Shafali's story continues to inspire, it's clear that her father's script-writing abilities extend beyond just one child, potentially creating multiple gems for Indian cricket.
