Shafali Verma has been at her best in recent times. Image Credits: AFPFew players have improved as much as Shafali Verma in recent times. From a maverick who could clear the ropes with ease to maturing into a more consistent batter who takes greater responsibility, Shafali has made giant strides in her journey.Talent was never an issue for her; she always had it in abundance. But now, she is far more consistent and precise in her shot selection, balancing her natural aggression with greater control. In turn, India have gained a reliable all-rounder and a solid opening option.Shafali Verma’s improved consistency in T20IsMost runs in Women's T20Is since 2025Shafali Verma has scored 1280 runs at an average of 42.66 and a strike rate of 165.37 in 34 T20I innings since 2025. This includes 11 fifties and a century, all as an opener.At the 2026 T20 World Cup, Shafali also chipped in with several useful contributions. After a solid fifty against the Netherlands, she smashed a quickfire 31 at a strike rate of 206.66 against South Africa in Manchester. Another fifty followed against Bangladesh at the same venue before she finished with 34 against Australia at Lord’s. Overall, Shafali was India’s second-leading run-scorer and stepped up on several occasions when scoring runs became difficult.She continued that fine form at the 2026 Asia Cup, where she was comfortably India’s best batter. Shafali finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer, with 236 runs at an average of 47.20 and a strike rate of 171.01 in five outings. The 22-year-old also hit three fifties, while no other batter managed more than one.Star Sports @StarSportsIndia Gets off the mark with a six, smashes 14 runs in the first over 🔥 Shafali Verma picks up from where she left off in the 2nd T20I 👏 #INDvSL 3rd T20I, LIVE NOW 👉 Dec 26, 2025, 8:47 PM Now, Shafali Verma has once again finished as India’s leading run-scorer at the 2026 Asian Games. Opening the innings, she scored 188 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 202.15 in three innings, including a magnificent century against Bangladesh in the semi-final.Also Read: Shafali Verma Goes Past Smriti Mandhana In ICC Rankings After Women's Asian Games HeroicsHer performances helped India remain unbeaten throughout the tournament and secure the gold medal at the Asian Games. More importantly, Shafali showed that she can maintain her aggressive approach without compromising consistency, while carrying her form across different competitions and conditions.Since 2025, Shafali Verma has the second-most runs in T20Is, behind only Thailand’s Nannapat Koncharoenkai. However, Nannapat has played considerably more innings (48) than Shafali (34) and has not faced the same volume of top-quality opposition. Shafali, meanwhile, appears to be at the peak of her powers and is currently among the finest players in world cricket.Explosiveness in the powerplayShafali Verma's performances in powerplayShafali Verma has always been a powerplay aggressor, with her role centred around providing rapid starts during the field restrictions. Now, though, she has combined that aggression with far greater consistency and is delivering those starts more regularly.Since 2025, she has averaged 54.85 at a strike rate of 170.28 in the first six overs in T20Is, hitting a boundary every 3.36 deliveries. Between 2022 and 2024, her average and strike rate in the powerplay stood at 31.13 and 124.20, respectively, while her balls-per-boundary ratio was 4.97.Also Read: Shafali Verma Tops Most Runs In Calendar Year In WT20Is During Women's Asian Games FinalHer improvement against pace, in particular, has been impressive. Shafali has struck at 148.05 against pace in the first six overs since 2025, compared to 127.52 between 2022 and 2024. Her dot-ball percentage has also dropped from 47% to 44.15%, while her balls-per-boundary ratio has improved from 4.58 to 3.75.Clearly, she has developed a more expansive power game, allowing her to clear the ropes and find gaps in the infield more easily. Those improvements are now translating into greater consistency. With more gears and a wider range of boundary options against pace, Shafali is becoming increasingly difficult to contain in the powerplay.Star Sports @StarSportsIndia No slowing down! 🔥 Shafali Verma kept the momentum going with an aggressive approach as Team India continue to attack. 🇮🇳💥 ICC Women's #T20WorldCup 2026 | #INDvSA | LIVE NOW 👉Jun 21, 2026, 7:30 PM During the second T20I against South Africa in Durban, Shafali started with a maximum off the fourth delivery of the innings against Tumi Sekhukhune before hitting three more sixes off the same bowler from the other end. Later, she was equally aggressive against veteran Ayabonga Khaka in the final powerplay over, finishing with 37 runs inside the field restrictions.She has produced numerous such knocks over the last couple of years, helping India make rapid starts in the powerplay. Even against stronger teams, those runs are now coming more consistently and across different conditions, underlining how much her powerplay game has evolved.How Shafali’s gung-ho approach helps IndiaIndia are still evolving as a power-hitting side and learning how to consistently rack up big scores. For much of the time, Shafali Verma has helped them get rapid starts upfront, giving the other batters greater breathing space. That includes Smriti Mandhana, who, despite working on her strike rate in recent times, has continued to have issues early in the innings.Since 2025, the southpaw has managed a middling strike rate of 126.22 and a balls-per-boundary ratio of 4.54 in the first six overs. Off-spin, in particular, has kept her in check. Shafali’s presence, therefore, allows Mandhana to take her time and remain vigilant against difficult matchups.That, in turn, gives Mandhana the platform to build long innings after a slow start. Take her knock against the Netherlands at the 2026 T20 World Cup, for instance. Shafali raced to 26 off 16 balls in seaming conditions in Leeds, while Mandhana was only 24 off 20 in the powerplay.Star Sports @StarSportsIndia Shafali shifts gears! 🚀 Right in the slot, & #ShafaliVerma needs no second invitation as she lofts it beautifully for a FOUR! 💪 ICC Women's #T20WorldCup 2026 | #INDvNED | LIVE NOW 👉 Jun 17, 2026, 7:39 PM However, Mandhana soon shifted gears in the second half of the innings. Once Shafali departed after a quickfire fifty, she continued to bat through the innings and eventually finished with 74 at a strike rate of 157.44, accelerating magnificently after a cautious start.India have benefited from Shafali’s brisk starts on several other occasions, particularly when the other batters have struggled to keep the momentum going. Her knocks have allowed India to rebuild or still reach competitive totals when the middle order has failed to get going.Also Read: List Of All Records Broken By Smriti Mandhana In Women’s Asian Games Final vs SLDuring the 2026 Asia Cup fixture against Thailand, Shafali opened the innings and raced to a quick 64 off 36 balls in Dubai. However, the other batters struggled, and India lost eight wickets for just 46 runs. Shafali’s knock nevertheless ensured they posted 159/9, a total they defended comfortably.The same pattern was evident against Bangladesh. Shafali got India off to a flying start alongside Mandhana, but the middle order struggled to maintain the momentum.Harmanpreet Kaur tried to keep things moving, but India’s non-openers managed only 54 runs at a strike rate of 103.84. Yet, thanks to Shafali’s magnificent century, India reached a commanding 195/4 before producing a clinical bowling performance.All in all, Shafali Verma has gradually moulded herself into a reliable batter who can do the heavy lifting at a high tempo in this format. Consistency was the missing piece in her game, and it is an aspect she has worked extensively on over the last couple of years. The rewards are now becoming increasingly evident as she approaches the peak of her powers.Also Read: New Zealand Coach Issues Threat To Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Ahead of IND vs NZ T20Is
