It was a night when destiny and self-belief collided -- and Shafali Verma stood right at the centre of it.
Drafted into India’s squad only last week after opener Pratika Rawal’s injury, the 21-year-old firebrand turned her recall into a dream script, hammering a match-winning 87 against South Africa in the ICC Women’s World Cup Final to help India lift their maiden title.
For Shafali, the knock was as much about redemption as it was about resolve. Having fallen off the ODI radar last year, she had only managed 10 runs in the semi-final against Australia. But when it mattered most, she found her rhythm — and a little divine inspiration from a cricketing legend.
"When I saw him (Tendulkar), it gave me an incredible boost," Shafali said, her face breaking into a smile after India’s triumph.
"I kept talking to him and he kept giving me confidence. He is the master of cricket, and we keep getting inspired just looking at him."
It wasn’t just with the bat that Shafali turned the tide. With South Africa threatening to claw back in the chase, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur threw her the ball -- a gamble that changed the match.
"It was a gut feeling," Harmanpreet admitted.
"I thought it could be risky too, but at the same time, I was positive because she had shown confidence when we spoke to her. I didn’t want to go back to the room later thinking, ‘why didn’t I try?’ And when I gave her that over and she got back-to-back breakthroughs, that was the turning point for us."
Having spent months in the wilderness, Shafali said she never lost faith in her ability or her place in the team’s larger story.
"(I am) very happy that we won and I cannot express it in words," she said, her voice softening.
"It was difficult but I had confidence in myself, that if I can stay calm, I could achieve everything.
"I just wanted to make my team win. My mind was clear, and I worked on my plans. The senior players told me to just play my own game — when you get that clarity, that’s all you need. It’s a very memorable moment."
From seeing her childhood idol in the stands to scripting India’s greatest cricketing moment, Shafali Verma’s night at the DY Patil Stadium will live on — a story of grit, grace, and a little touch of Sachin magic.