Shafali Verma continued her outstanding form in the third T20I against Zimbabwe Women at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on October 20, 2026. The India opener struck 69 off 37 balls, hitting 6 fours and 5 sixes as the hosts secured victory in the match. Her performance earned her the Player of the Series award for the three-match T20I series.
This latest innings extended Verma's remarkable consistency throughout 2026. In the second T20I on October 18, she scored 55 off 24 balls and was named Player of the Match for that performance. The back-to-back fifties underline her current form at the top of India's batting order.
"Obviously, very happy towards the team if you're performing well. So really happy for that and winning the matches, and everything is going in our favor. So really happy for that," Verma said in a post-match press conference.
Why is Verma's recent form significant?
Beyond the immediate results, Verma has achieved a significant milestone in 2026. She has now recorded 9 fifty-plus scores during the calendar year, surpassing Smriti Mandhana's tally of 8 fifty-plus scores. This achievement highlights her sustained excellence across the year. Verma emphasised the importance of continuous improvement and daily work ethic. She outlined her approach to maintaining form and learning from each innings she plays.
"Of course, keep working hard in every day. As I said earlier, I have to keep working hard every day, think more about the game and just thinking to perform in every game. And yeah, I'm enjoying my innings and just trying to learn after every inning and just try to improve every inning by inning," Verma said.
The opener discussed technical refinements she has made to her batting. Verma highlighted improvements in her footwork against spinners, which have helped her time the ball more effectively. These adjustments formed a key part of her approach to sustained performance throughout the series.
"Well, yeah, I have worked for that front of the spinners. So before that I didn't hit that shot, but now I have worked on my footwork. So I think because of that footwork, I'm just timing the ball more well. So really happy about that footwork and just trying to improve day by day," Verma concluded.
