In an emotional revelation, the young cricket prodigy Shafali Verma explained why she was dropped from the Indian women's cricket team Ireland list under wraps. The idea came at a time when his family was dealing with health issues, highlighting the challenges players often face in private.
Because of the silence
Shafali, who is known for his aggressive batting and on-field leadership, explained that his father suffered a heart attack two days before the team was selected. Concerned about his health and well-being, Shafali decided not to burden him with the issue of removing him from the team.
“It's hard to bear. I didn't want to reveal it because my father had a heart attack two days before I was removed from the team,” Shafali told Indian Express.
A secret week
For a whole week, Shafali kept this from her father, making sure he was in a stable state before revealing the truth. He finally told her about his dismissal while he was in the hospital but he was getting ready.
I hid the matter from him until he recovered. He was in the hospital. I told him a week later,” added Shafali.
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Pratika Rawal shines as Shafali Verma's replacement
Notably, Shafali appeared in the ODI series against new Zealandbut his performance did not live up to expectations, and he scored 33, 11, and 12 in three games. His inconsistency led the selectors to make a bold decision in removing him from the Ireland squad. On the contrary, Pratika Rawal was brought in, and has quickly proven his worth at the top of the batting order.
Rawal's impressive run includes three half-centuries in just six matches, cementing his position as a reliable opener and adding strength to the team's batting line-up. This idea not only shows the selectors' interest in profitable games but also shows the fierce competition within the team, where players have to give constantly to keep their place.
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This article was originally published on WomenCricket.coma Cricket Times company.