Shafali Verma’s 87 in the 2025 Women’s World Cup final is among the highest scores by an Indian in the final of any senior global cricket tournament.
Smriti Mandhana and Verma got India off to a rollicking start after Laura Wolvaardt won the toss and opted to field in the 2025 Women’s World Cup final, at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.
The partnership broke when Chole Tryon had Mandhana caught-behind for a 58-ball 45. The innings took Mandhana to 434 runs in the 2025 World Cup – a new Indian record: over the course of the innings, she went past Mithali Raj’s 409 in the 2017 edition.
Having taken 49 balls for her half-century, Verma continued until she hit Ayabonga Khaka to mid-off for a 78-ball 87 with eight fours and two sixes. In the process, she went past Punam Raut’s national record of 86 in a Women’s World Cup final: Raut’s innings had come in the final of the 2017 edition.
The Indian record across genders belongs to Sourav Ganguly, who scored 117 in the 2000 Champions Trophy final against New Zealand. In men's World Cups - ODI or T20I - Gautam Gambhir still holds the record for his 97 in the 2011 World Cup final against Sri Lanka.
It is worth a mention that Verma came into the squad in the aftermath of Pratika Rawal’s injury in the last match of the league stage. India included Verma in their playing XI straight away, from the semi-final.
Khaka claimed Jemimah Rodrigues as well. At the time of writing, India were 229-4 after 40 overs with Amanjot Kaur (2) and Deepti Sharma (37) at the crease.
Final, India Women vs South Africa Women
vs
- Ball by ball Over
Highest individual scores for India in ICC trophy finals
| Score | Batter | Opposition | Venue | Year | Tournament |
| 117 | Sourav Ganguly | New Zealand | Nairobi | 2000 | Champions Trophy |
| 97 | Gautam Gambhir | Sri Lanka | Mumbai | 2011 | Men’s World Cup |
| 91* | MS Dhoni | Sri Lanka | Mumbai | 2011 | Men’s World Cup |
| 89 | Ajinkya Rahane | Australia | The Oval | 2023 | World Test Championship |
| 87 | Shafali Verma | South Africa | Navi Mumbai | 2025 | Women’s World Cup |
| 86 | Punam Raut | England | Lord’s | 2017 | Women’s World Cup |
| 82 | Virender Sehwag | Australia | Johannesburg | 2003 | Men’s World Cup |
