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In India's World Cup-winning campaign in 2011, Yuvraj Singh stood up against all odds to deliver a performance that will be remembered as long as there is life on this planet. By his own admission, he was not in the best of form, nor great health, unknowingly fighting something much bigger - a silent battle with lung cancer he wasn’t even aware of growing inside him beneath the sweat and that wonderful bat swing. But when you have God of cricket by your side, even struggles find their way to glory. Sachin Tendulkar’s divine pep talk to motivate Yuvraj ahead of India's World Cup-winning campaign, words that rang, “You will matter when it matters the most,” is part of cricketing folklore. When we look back, it is deeply symbolic, compelling some of us to draw a spiritual parallel. Tendulkar stood by Yuvraj through the battles of belief and pain, reminding him that fortune favours the brave, much like the chaos of Kurukshetra saw Lord Krishna guiding Arjun in every step. And here we are, almost fourteen years later, another Indian cricketer, Shafali Verma, bringing back memories that embody that same spirit. She was not even a part of the Indian cricket team for close to a year. Dropped and almost forgotten. No question of finding a place in India's World Cup squad. And quite expectedly, she wasn't. But destiny once again had its final say. She found her name on the team sheet only after Pratika Rawal’s injury opened a door. Few expected her to be named as a replacement for Rawal; even fewer expected her to step into history. But when India needed someone to stand tall on the big stage, against a worthy opponent like South Africa, having been put into bat under tough, overcast conditions, on a moisture-laden surface owing to the persistent Mumbai rains, she didn’t just step up; she soared. Her 78-ball 87 laid the platform for India to set up a big score in the World Cup final. And just like the adage goes, runs on the board in a World Cup final matter; and she mattered when it mattered the most. It was not just her contribution with the bat, her 2 for 36 with the ball, one of which came when the Proteas were looking increasingly dangerous, courtesy of a 52-run third-wicket stand between captain Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus, she sent the latter packing. Shafali didn’t just contribute; she transformed the game. Her energy, her audacity, her refusal to be overawed. It was all vintage Yuvraj. Years later, her performance might just be reduced to mere statistics, but her spirit, her fearless approach in the biggest of stages, will be a story that will be left to us to pass on to our grandkids. India's wonder girl, who turned destiny into opportunity, and opportunity into gold. The likes of Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Deepti Sharma, and Richa Ghosh have etched their name into immortality, but among all, Shafali's name will shimmer the brightest for setting up India's maiden World Cup win. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Sports, Cricket and around the world.
